Kenyan foreign minister holds talks with UN refugee chief

Text of report by Kenyan KBC radio, BBC Monitoring Africa.

Sep 1, 2005 (Nairabi) — The minister for foreign affairs, Chirau Ali Mwakwere, has stressed the need to tackle the causes of political instability in Africa. Mwakwere said that many countries in Africa have a large number of refugees despite the international community’s willingness to assist in solving problems (?affecting) refugees globally. The minister was speaking in his office during a meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres.

Mwakwere said that currenlty the challenge is relocating Sudanese and Somali refugees to their respective countries. He said effective relocation of Sudanese refugees can only take place with [the] construction of infrastructure in Southern Sudan.

Mr Guterres noted that Africa needs a grand plan to help address the refugee problem. The High Commissioner added that a development strategy has been put in place by UNHCR but stressed that it was important for the strategy to be owned by Sudan and be supported by the international community.