Can the Global Compact ease East Africa’s refugee burden?

2021-01-19

The Global Compact on Refugees aims to help refugees and host communities become self-reliant. It is one of the most significant refugee policies spearheaded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since its founding 70 years ago.

Six of Africa’s eight Global Compact rollout countries are in East Africa and the Horn: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Somalia. The region hosts 4.3 million of sub-Saharan Africa’s 6.3 million refugees. Can the compact ease the burden of these host countries?

This event is co-hosted with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR)’s Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network. The seminar is part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UNHCR.

Simultaneous English-French interpretation will be provided.

Chair: Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Head, Special Projects, ISS

Speakers:

Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Director, Regional Bureau for the East, Horn and Great Lakes region of Africa, UNHCR

Charles Obila, Migration and Displacement Officer, IGAD

Aude Galli, Manager, Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat, Nairobi, Kenya

Tsion Tadesse Abebe, Senior Researcher, Migration, ISS Addis Ababa