Inclusive Policies: The Path for Promoting Refugee Rights and Enhancing Social Cohesion in Kabribayah, Somali Region

May 8, 2025 | General content | 0 comments

Blog post by Guled Ali, Durable Solutions Specialist at Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat, Jigjiga, Somali Region of Ethiopia.

Introduction

According to UNHCR, as of June 2024, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide was estimated at 122.6 million. This figure encompasses refugees under UNHCR’s mandate, Palestinian refugees under the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East’s (UNRWA) mandate, asylum seekers, internally displaced people (IDPs), and others needing international protection.

Ethiopia is the second-largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, home to more than one million refugees and asylum seekers—mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea. For this reason, the government of Ethiopia has developed and pledged many normative frameworks to address the plights of refugees, many of whom are in a protracted situation.

For example, Ethiopia has played a prominent and proactive role in global refugee initiatives. As a signatory of the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Organization for Africa Unity (OAU ) refugee convention, the country has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to refugee rights. In 2016, Ethiopia co-led a global summit in New York, where it introduced nine ambitious pledges designed to significantly improve the lives of refugees, focusing on their inclusion and economic opportunities.

Building on this foundation, Ethiopia presented six more pledges during the Global Refugee Forum in December 2023, reaffirming its dedication to advancing refugee welfare. Furthermore, the country was chosen as a pilot for the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), showcasing its leadership in implementing innovative and sustainable refugee solutions. Additionally, the recently updated Ethiopia’s Refugee Proclamation introduced several new provisions that will facilitate refugees’ enjoyment of rights. For instance, based on this refugee proclamation several directives have been produced, including outside of camps and work permit directives. In February 2017, the Somali region was at the forefront in cascading this approach which was then followed by the CRRF pledges progress report in the Somali region. Finally, to bolster these initiatives, the Somali Regional State (SRS) and the Refugee and Returnee Services (RRS) have invented significant inclusive policies including the Kabribayah inclusion road map to address the plights of refugees in protracted situations and increase the social cohesion between the host population, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Although this policy can be a solution pathway for refugees, it does not necessarily mean that their concerns will vanish any time soon.  

What does the Kabribayah Inclusion Roadmap (2023-2027) provide to refugees and host communities?

The Kabribayah Inclusion Roadmap focuses on integrating refugees into local communities to improve their independence and quality of life.

  1.  Economic and livelihood opportunities: The city is situated in a strategic location and has a long history of trade linkages between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. However, due to scarce opportunities, recurrent droughts, and high unemployment, many refugees and their host communities are in limbo. Therefore, one of the core components of this road map is addressing inclusive livelihood and economic opportunities, and this intervention could create a positive change in communities in and around Kabribayah. Additionally, as the economic and livelihood opportunities will also target the refugee communities in Kabribayah, it will encourage the refugees to obtain work permits according to the work permit directive issued by the government of Ethiopia. Therefore, the inclusive livelihoods and economic opportunities for the Kabribayah population will likely improve the situations of both the refugees and surrounding communities.
  2. Social cohesion: There has already been de-facto integration with communities residing in Kabribayah, including intermarriage between refugees and the host population, participation in events, culture, language, and religion. Additionally, business interaction, economic cooperation, security cooperation, and sharing basic services are common. However, creating job opportunities, better services, and livelihood pathways will enable communities to scale up social cohesion. Finally, the road map could promise a more holistic approach to social cohesion space if the communities participate throughout the process
  3. Sustainable and inclusive basic services and social services: The social analysis conducted by the World Bank Group emphasizes the benefits of integrated service delivery to mitigate perceived inequities and grievances around differential access to services. This finding is in line with my view that integrated basic services including education, health and extra can support expanding and sustaining reliable, and sustainable basic social services. Therefore, implementing the Kabribayah inclusion roadmap will increase the chances of avoiding parallel services and increase the opportunities for funding mobilization.

In summary, the road map will be instrumental in realizing inclusive services that can address the needs of the entire communities residing in Kabribayah and its surroundings. In addition, refugees will have the opportunity to utilize the different directives that the government of Ethiopia issued like the work permit and conditions of movement outside of camps. Finally, it will increase collaborative efforts and coordination among government entities, the UN system, INGOs, CSOs, the private sector, academia society, and others. 

Opportunities and the key challenges around the inclusion roadmap

Implementing and operationalizing the roadmap presents several opportunities and challenges for both refugees and host communities. It opens the door for stronger social cohesion, where different communities living side by side can begin to build trust and mutual understanding through shared services and common goals. There’s also strong political will in place—seen through government pledges, formal roadmaps, and signed MOUs—which signals a readiness to engage in more long-term and structured support for refugee issues.

For instance, the Somali Regional State (SRS) and Refugees and Returnee Services (RRS), in coordination with key partners, have initiated social cohesion programs in refugee-hosting areas through consultations, capacity-building, and creating joint economic opportunities. These programs have been largely successful because of a variety of factors including common language, religion, culture, and intermarriage between the host population and refugees.

Beyond the social and political, the region itself holds real economic promise. The vast rangelands offer the potential for livestock production, an activity that many families in the area already rely on. There’s also plenty of sunlight year-round, making solar energy a practical and sustainable solution for powering homes, schools, and health facilities if managed properly. On top of that, the area’s proximity to the Berbera trade corridor could connect local producers and entrepreneurs to broader markets, and joint ventures of small businesses, and farm cooperatives are other economic opportunities. Add to that a growing pool of human capital—young people with untapped skills and energy—and the roadmap paints a picture of meaningful progress.

But as hopeful as these opportunities are, there are real challenges that make them difficult to fully realize. Social cohesion efforts can be fragile, especially in areas with tensions over resources. If one group feels neglected or overlooked—whether in job opportunities, land use, or aid distribution—it can cause division rather than unity. On the policy side, while government support is encouraging, implementation often falls behind. Bureaucratic delays, limited capacity, and shifting political priorities can slow the progress of even the most well-intentioned pledges.

Turning natural resources into productive assets also comes with hurdles. In the case of rangelands, unclear land rights and environmental degradation from overgrazing pose serious risks. Solar energy, though promising, requires costly infrastructure and skilled labor that are often in short supply. When it comes to trade and enterprise, insufficient transport networks, complex customs procedures, and limited access to financing all stand in the way of growth—especially for refugees.

Even human capital, perhaps the most abundant resource, faces its own set of barriers. Access to education and training is still patchy, and legal restrictions often limit refugees’ ability to work or open businesses. Many also face a lack of documentation, making it hard to participate in the economy, no matter how skilled or motivated they are.

Additionally, other cross-cutting challenges may stand in the way of achieving the successful implementation of inclusive policies in the Somali region including;

  • Funding Gaps – There is not enough reliable funding to support long-term solutions for refugees. Most funding today goes toward immediate humanitarian aid, and even that is often short-term and unpredictable. For instance, many donor countries are pulling back due to economic pressures and competing priorities, which may lead to interrupted services or reduced access for refugees.
  • A diminishing aid sector – The aid sector that has long supported refugee programs is itself struggling, organizations are stretched thin, budgets are tight, and economic downturns have led to cutbacks across many aid agencies.
  • Climate vulnerability – Refugee camps and informal settlements are usually located in marginal or high-risk areas. Therefore, climate impacts like floods, droughts, and heatwaves make living conditions worse. The Somali region has suffered from recurrent droughts for decades.

The SRS, RRS and other key actors have planned bold steps to act and overcome the challenges including: strengthening institutional capacity; funding resource mobilization; advocacy and awareness campaigns; and creating space for the hosts and refugees to have meaningful participation in the solutions process.

Key takeaways

Empowering refugees andproviding refugees with legal documentation, access to basic services, and livelihood opportunities promotes self-reliance and dignity. Equitable Resource sharing and fair access to resources reduces tension, promotes peaceful living, and supports development. Fostering social cohesion, sharing development projects, and conflict resolution mechanisms help build trust and harmony between communities.       

Recommendations

To address the complexities of refugee integration and cultivate harmonious coexistence, inclusive policies must be implemented that prioritize the protection of refugee rights while fostering equitable development, mutual respect, and shared opportunities for refugees and host communities alike. These efforts can be guided by the following key recommendations:

  1. Strengthen legal and policy frameworks by simplifying processes for refugees to obtain legal documentation, such as work permits and outside camp residency.
  2. Increase community participation by involving refugees and host community members in the planning and implementation of policies, programs, and decision-making processes.
  3. Enhance coordination among stakeholders by fostering better collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, CSOs, the private sector, academia, and UN structures.
  4. Focus on environmental sustainability by implementing programs to mitigate environmental pressures such as reforestation, water conservation, and climate-resilient agriculture.
  5. Considering the nexus approach, while the durable solution is a long-term intervention with a humanitarian component, it is paramount to use the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding nexus.

References

Guled Ali is an ReDSS Durable Solutions Specialist based in Jigjiga, Somali Region of Ethiopia. He is a seasoned Forced Displacement and Durable Solutions Specialist with over 9 years of experience. He leverages his expertise in protection and humanitarian crises to champion sustainable solutions for displaced populations across East Africa and the Great Lakes. Guled’s in-depth understanding of displacement complexities, honed through field experience, allows him to effectively support programs that address the needs of affected communities.

Note: The views expressed in this blog belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Regional Durable Solutions secretariat   (ReDSS)

The views expressed in this article belong to the author/s and do not necessarily reflect those of the Refugee Law Initiative. We welcome comments and contributions to this blog – please comment below and see here for contribution guidelines.

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