By VITALIS KIMUTAI
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN: United Nation’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has commended Kenya for pushing for peace and stability in Somalia.
Ban said Kenya’s push for resettlement of more than 600,000 refugees, who live in camps in the northern part of the country, should be supported by the international community.
“When I visited Dadaab refugee camp last year, I witnessed a very sad situation where 600,000 people are crowded in one place. That population alone is more than that of some countries,” Ban said.
He added: “I could feel the huge challenges Kenya was facing and I sympathised with the President at that time because of the instability in Somalia.”
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Speaking on Sunday during a meeting with Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto at the UN offices in Yokohama, Japan, Ban said UN would support efforts to resettle the refugees who have been living in refugee camps in Kenya.
Entrench peace
“I urge you (Kenya) to focus on helping Somalia in the efforts to entrench peace, democracy and governance,” he said.
He continued: “When I met Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegnan and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, they were concerned about the developments in Somalia.”
The UN boss said he was aware that the Somali crisis was putting so much pressure on the Kenyan Government, which has other internal problems to sort out.
Ruto thanked UN for elevating the Nairobi office and pledged that the Government would ensure UN staff are safe.
He also reiterated the Government’s commitment towards the peace process in Somalia.
