IGAD Heads of State and Government met in Nairobi on March 25, 2017 at a Special Summit on Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees and Reintegration of Returnees in Somalia. The Summit was hosted by the Republic of Kenya, and undertaken with the close collaboration of UNHCR and the EU.
The Summit agreed the Nairobi Declaration and the accompanying Plan of Action. These decisions set out a comprehensive regional approach and commitments at four levels: accelerating solutions in Somalia by creating an environment conducive for voluntary and sustainable return of refugees; delivering durable solutions, whilst maintaining the protection space and promoting the self-reliance and inclusion of refugees in countries of asylum; strengthening sub-regional co-operation; and, increasing international responsibility sharing.
Realizing these decisions principally requires the development of a comprehensive IGAD Regional Framework for Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees (hereafter referred to as the IGAD Regional Framework). This framework is primarily made up of national plans outlining the pathways to the delivery of these commitments. Further, it builds on the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) of the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants, and is supported by the international community.
