+ Devolution and Refugee Gemma Davies Affairs 16 September 2015 Nairobi
+ Devolution and Solutions ReDSS Partnership Advocacy Research/Evidence base Capacity building & joint learning
+ Devolution in Kenya: Opportunity for Transitional Solutions for Refugees? Two-part deliverable: PART A. ANALYSING THE PART B. A MANUAL ON IMPACT OF DEVOLUTION ON DEVOLUTION ARCHITECTURE REFUGEE AFFAIRS AND IMPLICATIONS • Opportunities of devolution • Legal framework • Institutional structures in solutions to displacement • Building self-reliance • Intergovernmental relations • Integrated service provision • Public financial management • Local economic integration
+ Position of National Actors The Ministry of The Department of UNHCR Kenya ’s Devolution and Planning Refugee Affairs in Nairobi management encourages county is concerned about expressed a middle involvement in refugee competition on refugee ground: « It is early affairs: « We advocate for management: « there is a to talk about county to have a stronger push by county devolution in refugee role – county should be governments to get more management – it has involved as partners with involved ( …) But they been two years only. the United Nations in may not have the The first signs are refugee management. capacity in terms of positive: we have First because of its protection, livelihoods locally elected geography, second and security, or interlocutors who because of the question education, health and see pros and cons of of land, third as counties hygiene programs. (…) refugees. With must manage resentment Refugee management devolution, we have and tensions locally, and cannot be devolved. Host local partners at the fourth, as security issues community issues are local level to provide have negative impacts on related to basic services better integration, the ability of the county and environment. These better equip to deliver services. » are areas that the county refugees to go back can be involved in, but to their country and not in other areas. » build their skills. »
+ Refugees as Assets REFUGEES AS A RESOURCE FOR LOCAL ECONOMIES REFUGEES AS A RESOURCE for LOCAL ECONOMIES: Voices from the Central Government DRA Nairobi: Min. of Devolution Min. of Interior & « This is where we and Planning on Co-ordination of are loosing out. The Dadaab’s National US is a country built unrecognised Development by immigrants. We potential: « We think expressed a level of have great minds that it is temporary resistance at any and great but these people potential for social entrepreneurs and are staying. Make or economic schools. Eastleigh’s Dadaab a normal integration economy is larger town and you will advocating for the than 10 counties have a big vibrant closure of the combined in terms town. (…) Get camps, seen as of license refugees to help in major security collections and infrastructure and threat for Kenya. taxation. » in developing towns. »
+ Position of County Authorities THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF REFUGEES From an economic perspective , refugees are seen as: Opening the counties to other markets; 1. Diversifying the economy; 2. Transitioning host communities from pastoralism to 3. alternative livelihoods; and Transferring skills to the host economy (esp. Kakuma, 4. Turkana) County authorities are opening up to discussions on the development potential of refugees’ presence on their territory.
+ Key take-aways in Garissa ECONOMIC WILL is there but lacking formal POLITICAL WILL The potential for devolution to support refugee management in Dadaab is reinforced by: A fait accompli of informal integration: the homogeneity of the refugees and host community in north-eastern Kenya, refugee economy in Dadaab and informal trade in the camps Mind the Gap! Divergent national and county voices, the possibility of providing incentives for county governments (fiscal, resource and programmatic incentives) to engage in local integration Go Local! Host communities know the economic value of Dadaab as they see its immediate impact. Government actors need to be sensitized.
+ Key take-aways in Turkana Both the POLITICAL and the ECONOMIC WILL is there: Key CAPACITY GAPS EXIST Kakuma is well endowed It now requires the human resources and capabilities to act on it Refugees have an economic driving seat: supporting the local economy Transition the local economy out of pastoralism, transferring skills Coordination exists UN Joint Initiative for the Integration of Refugees and Host communities is coordinating interventions with the County Aligning efforts with the county integrated plan, mainstreaming refugees ‘ Grey areas ’ of county interventions show that in key sectors of implementation – health, childhood education and water – refugees & hosts are served The impact of devolution on structures and infrastructure has been the devolved government’s set up and on hospitals
+ Engaging with Counties: Entry Points Counties can engage on refugee affairs through resource allocation, devolved aspects of refugee management: integrated service delivery, business permits NGOs call for counties to use a fraction of their budget for integrated programmatic interventions Already happening – indirectly – in Turkana: shares of the county budget benefit both host and refugee communities: the “ grey areas ” of county interventions. Community-based development 1. Devolution for conflict resolution 2. Sectoral entry points : Health & Education 3.
+ Devolution and Durable Solutions OPPORTUNITIES: Providing incentives Fiscal and financial for Dadaab Human capabilities for Kakuma CHALLENGES: Devolution process is ‘in progress’ and constantly changing On admin & fiscal fonts: only hosts are considered Missing interlocutor: CDCs THREAT Security-refugee nexus (rhetoric vs. reality) Preferred (unique?) solution: repatriation
+ Conclusions and Recommendations Counties are a receptive allies for refugees’ “local economic integration” MUST Re-package concept = local economic empowerment , self-reliance Opportunities exist: Devolution has a role to play in durable solutions. To be strengthened around 3 axes: Economic perspective Fiscal perspective is the missed opportunity / the missing link Service delivery: formalising informal grey areas: focus on health and education How? Build evidence on the economic 2-way integration (KNOWLEDGE BUILDING) Strike a balance and avoid “the race”/ competition (ADVOCACY) Capacity building (PROGRAMMING) A multi-level strategy from financial, to material and human resources
+ Exploring partnerships Exploring Partnerships Research – shows entry points for exploring partnerships Increasing the evidence base – the link with academia, think tank institutes Working with the private sector: telecoms, service delivery, active engagement A multi-lateral and multi-institutional approach – the only way to achieve long term sustainable solutions
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