UNHCR, Kenya and Sudan to sign agreement on repatriation of refugees

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the government of the Republic of Kenya and the government of the Republic of Sudan will tomorrow sign a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding for the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Kenya to Sudan.

According to a statement from the UNHCR office in Nairobi, the signing ceremony will take place at 9.00 am at the Hilton Hotel. Mr Gideon Konchellah, the Kenyan minister for immigration and registration of persons will sign on behalf of the government of Kenya, Mr Eleu Ayieny Aleu, the Sudanese minister of State, will sign on behalf of his government while UNHCR will be represented by the Director of operations for the Sudan situation, Mr Jean-Marie Fakhouri.

Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the government of Sudan and the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in Nairobi in January 2005, preparations for the voluntary repatriation of refugees from Southern Sudan living in neighbouring countries, including Kenya, gathered momentum. The first official repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees took place on 17 December 2005 from Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya.

The 21-year war between the north and south Sudan left 2 million people dead and displaced 4 million others.