Operational context
As part of its recovery following more than two decades of conflict, Somalia continued to welcome returning refugees with the support of UNHCR, both through the voluntary repatriation programme and spontaneously. Despite progress, challenges remained, and at the end of 2019, some 2.6 million people were internally displaced and 820,000 Somali refugees resided in other countries across the Horn of Africa and Yemen.
The operation continued to support the Government in providing protection and assistance and working towards the attainment of durable solutions for refugees, asylum-seekers, returnees and IDPs, working in close partnership with international and national actors.
The operation advanced the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework through partnerships with the Government, United Nations and NGO actors in the sectors of health, education, livelihoods, and legal assistance and law development. In this regard, UNHCR maintained a close working relationship with relevant government departments and other relevant authorities in the country.
Population trends
By the end of 2019, Somalia was home to nearly 35,700 registered refugees and asylum-seekers, 37% of whom were of Yemeni nationality and 61% Ethiopian, while 2% represented other nationalities. Women and children constituted some 68% of people of concern.
Since December 2014, more than 129,000 Somali refugees had returned, including some 5,500 during 2019 (more than 2,100 of whom returned from Kenya through a facilitated process).
Key achievements
- A total of 35,700 refugees and asylum-seekers received multi-sectoral assistance in Somalia across the three regions of Puntland, Somaliland and South Central.
- In 2019, some 5,500 Somalis returned to Somalia from Kenya, Libya, Yemen and other countries. UNHCR provided all returnees with return packages.
- UNHCR processed nearly 130 refugee status determination cases pertaining to over 480 individuals. The files of some 160 individuals were submitted to Sweden for resettlement.
- More than 100 government staff were trained in different capacity-building initiatives.
Unmet needs
- Most refugees still had no prospects for local integration in Somaliland. Voluntary repatriation was not feasible for most refugees, especially refugees from Yemen due to ongoing conflict in the country. All these elements contributed to the continuing need for resettlement, exploration of complementary pathways and more funding for livelihoods programmes.
- The Somali operation received 36% funding in 2019. Due to limited funding, UNHCR was not able to implement most of the projects necessary to effectively support all returnees. Gaps included access to land, limited infrastructure and facilities like schools and health care in places of return.
- With large numbers of protracted IDPs and periodic natural disasters (i.e. floods and droughts), IDP response and assistance was estimated to cover less than 20% of total needs.