The European Union has announced Sh3.9 billion humanitarian aid for refugees in Kenya and Uganda.
Christos Stylianides, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid,
said Kenya will get Sh1.1 billion and Uganda Sh2.8 billion, since it has the highest number of refugees in Africa.
The aid to Kenya is in addition to the
€1.5 million (Sh175 million)
released in May for victims of the flooding that wreaked havoc in many parts.
Kenya's amount will go to Dadaab and Kakuma camps, Stylianides said in a statement
on Thursday. It is expected to cater for the most most vulnerable, as well as grant children access to quality primary education.
"The EU stands in solidarity with, and is committed to supporting, the most vulnerable refugees," the Commissioner said.
The EU will also support programmes to tackle the consequences of the prolonged drought witnessed in parts of the country.
Stylianides further said that emergency situations and newly arrivals will be prioritised, with
special focus on the many refugees from South Sudan and the increasing influx of Congolese refugees.
"It will provide emergency health and food assistance, water and sanitation, as well as protection and education in emergencies," he said.
The number of Somali refugees at Dadaab camp has reduced from 245,000 to 231,000.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees gave this figure when it released a report
on the state of refugees worldwide on Wednesday, as World Refugee Day was marked.
The agency said that Kenya is hosting at least 500,000 refugees and that there are 2.2 million in East Africa.
In Kenya, majority of the displaced persons are from Somalia (58.2 percent) and South Sudan (22.9 percent). The Democratic Republic of Congo accounts
for 7.3 percent and Ethiopia
5.7 percent.
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