By FRED OLUOCH

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The UNHCR regional director for East, Horn and Great Lakes Region, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, spoke with Fred Oluoch about the state of refugees during Covid-19.

How many refugees and the internally displaced people are there in the region, currently?

The 11 countries in the East, Horn and Great Lakes region overseen by our bureau in Nairobi hosts 4.6 million refugees and 8.1 million internally displaced persons. The majority of displaced people in Africa are in this region, due to conflicts in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Burundi and elsewhere. The South Sudan refugee crisis is the largest in Africa, with more than two million refugees sheltered in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya. Again, four out of the 10 biggest internally displaced persons crises in the world are in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan.

What has been the impact of Covid-19 on refugees in the region, given that cases have been reported among refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia?

While we still do not have any widespread outbreaks in refugee populations in this region, our country operations understand that we are in a race against time to ensure we are as prepared as we can be should the virus spread. In terms of the few confirmed Covid-19 cases among refugees, we have been working closely with governments to ensure isolation, treatment and contact tracing. We are also concerned about the closure of schools, resulting in some one million refugee students being out of school, and a rise in cases of sexual and gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. Refugees, particularly urban refugees who are generally daily wage earners or work in the informal economy are struggling to provide for themselves and their families with a loss of jobs and economic opportunities. Also, border closures are complicating access to asylum. Across the region, UNHCR has appealed for special measures to be put in place to allow for asylum seekers to be screened, quarantined and admitted. We believe it is possible to both protect populations from the virus while still protecting the rights of those fleeing war and conflict to seek asylum.

What measures has the UNHCR put in place to prevent and respond in the affected countries, and to cushion against the effects of the pandemic?

Measures have been taken to protect refugees and the communities hosting them from the spread of coronavirus include setting up hand washing facilities, distribution of extra soap, making masks available, changing food and other aid distribution practices in line with social distancing measures, and working with local and national governments to establish and equip quarantine and isolation centres. UNHCR and partners are expanding mental health and other counselling services for refugees and asylum seekers to help mitigate the impact of the crisis. For urban refugees, we are providing cash and food assistance to help them survive.

There is always the notion that UNHCR and other agencies are already providing support for refugees. Should they then be included in national safety nets?

We are exploring options to include urban refugees in national safety net programmes because inclusion pays off for everyone. Refugees are already showing that they are part of the solution and have made important contributions to their host communities during the crisis. From a public health perspective, the imperative is clear — for everyone to be protected from coronavirus, no one can be left behind. Refugees in urban areas do not generally receive material support from UNHCR but have been hit hard like everyone else. It can be more efficient for the donors who typically fund national safety net programmes to address the needs of all of the most vulnerable in a coherent and co-ordinated fashion.

UNHCR was already grappling with funding challenges before the pandemic, what is the current financial outlook?

These are challenging times with donors equally grappling with their domestic needs in response to coronavirus. Out of the $1.9 billion funding requirements for the region, only 13 per cent has been given to date. In response to Covid-19, the UN made a global inter-agency appeal of $6.7 billion, with UNHCR global requirements amounting to $745 million, of which just over one third has been funded. The region needs a total of $126 million to respond to the pandemic.