In 2021, voluntary repatriation aided 1,100 returnees (against a planned target of 5,000 individuals. The assistance included provision of individual return packages, cash grants and information sessions to all the returnees. This was an increase compared to 190 returnees supported to return voluntarily in 2020. The returnees supported (including almost 800 Ethiopians and 300 Somalis) all reaching their home destinations in safety and dignity while complying with COVID-19 health protocols. Notably that repatriation to Ethiopia was officially launched on the 5 May 2021 a process that had initially gained momentum however, the interest to return for the Ethiopian refugees drastically reduced following escalations of fighting in the country. Overall, as of 31 December 2021, a cumulative total of over 82,000 returnees (including 81,500 Somalis and 800 Ethiopians) have been assisted to voluntarily return home in safety and dignity since the process began in 2014.
UNHCR and its partners provided all the necessary support to returnees to make return and reintegration a sustainable process. This included counselling and provision of updated Country of Origin information, repatriation assistance prior to departure comprising of cash grants of $150 per returnee, core relief items, hygiene, and dignity kits as well facilitation of basic health screening and COVID-19 testing before their departure. UNHCR facilitated transportation of returnees through direct flights from Dadaab to respective destinations in the country of origin. Through collaboration with the Government agency of Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS) documentation and pre-departure immigration exit formalities was organized for all returnees and this enabled safe and dignified return process.
As part of Road Map for Solutions Return Intention Survey was conducted within the framework refugee population verification exercise which was conducted in the period of 23rd June to 15th December 2021.The survey revealed that 1,361 households (6,491 individuals) approximately representing 6.3% of the total 21,451 households interviewed indicated that they intend to consider repatriation within a year. This updated data on return interest dynamics will be used to inform future programming for durable solutions strategy.
The implementation of cash assistance was strengthened and mainstreamed during the year. Before 2021, payment to refugee beneficiaries was facilitated through the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) partnership, however this arrangement was reviewed and UNHCR made shift to more effective direct implementation arrangement through partnership with Equity Bank under the cash assistance model to make the process more efficient and safer on recurrent administrative expenditure costs. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and decline in return numbers, only one cross-border coordination meeting was held during 2021.