Ministry of Interior and National Administration CS Kipchumba Murkomen has called for stronger partnerships to address emerging security challenges and manage refugee affairs.
Kenya hosts over 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers in camps like Dadaab and Kakuma, as well as in urban centres.
Murkomen is in Geneva, Switzerland, attending the eighth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025).
On the sidelines, the CS held talks with UN top officials, underscoring Kenya’s commitment in securing the country and also meeting her international obligations.
During his engagement with Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who recognised the longstanding partnership between Kenya and UNHCR, which spans over 56 years, in supporting refugees and asylum seekers.
"I had the honour of meeting with Raouf Mazou, who acknowledged Kenya’s unwavering commitment to protecting refugees and managing their affairs," the CS noted.
Murkomen reaffirmed Kenya's steadfast commitment as a host country.
“A key focus of our discussion was on the recently launched Shirika Plan – a transformative, multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at fostering the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers,” the CS said.
The plan seeks to promote self-reliance and resilience among displaced populations while delivering tangible benefits to host communities and facilitating the integration of refugees with these communities.
"I highlighted the need to deepen collaboration to not only address immediate humanitarian needs but also confront the underlying causes of displacement, including conflict and climate change," Murkomen stated.
He urged the UNHCR to intensify advocacy for peace and the cessation of violence in affected regions, deeming it critical to tackling forced displacement at its root.
Separately, Murkomen held a bilateral meeting with Kamal Kishore, special representative of the secretary general and head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
"Our discussions centred on strengthening collaboration between Kenya and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction on key sectors, including disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response, as well as post-disaster recovery and reconstruction," Murkomen said on Monday.
Discussions also covered capacity-building and training of personnel, technology transfer and innovation, exchange of information and best practices, and humanitarian cooperation in emergencies.
Kishore lauded Kenya’s efforts, which hosts the UN-Habitat, in making cities resilient.
"He also congratulated Kenya on its recent launch of the 'Early Warnings for All' initiative (EW4All) to enhance disaster preparedness, a key step towards fostering anticipatory action and protecting lives and livelihoods from disasters," Murkomen added.
The CS also paid a courtesy call on Fancy Too, Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Geneva, at the Kenyan Chancery.
He highlighted that Kenya's presence in Geneva since 1995 has enabled it to maintain strategic engagement in multilateral diplomacy and make significant contributions towards building a safer and more resilient world.
"The Ministry of Interior and National Administration is actively coordinating various institutions and agencies to manage and mitigate the adverse effects of disasters in the country.”
He was accompanied by members of the Kenyan delegation also attending the global conference.
