Murkomen engages UN officials in high-level talks on security, refugee affairs

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has advocated for Kenya’s strengthened partnership in addressing emerging security challenges and refugee matters.

The CS, currently in Geneva, Switzerland, for the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), held discussions with senior United Nations (UN) officials, underscoring Kenya’s commitment to ensuring national security while fulfilling its international obligations.

In his bilateral engagement with the Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Murkomen reiterated the Government of Kenya’s firm commitment to its responsibilities as a host country.

He stated that Kenya will continue to collaborate closely with UNHCR and all partners to support the over 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers residing in various camps and urban areas.

“This evening (Monday), I had the honour of meeting Mr. Raouf Mazou, who acknowledged Kenya’s unwavering commitment to protecting refugees and managing their affairs,” noted the CS. He added that Mr. Mazou recognised the longstanding partnership between Kenya and UNHCR, which spans over 56 years in supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

“A key focus of our discussion was the recently launched Shirika Plan—a transformative, multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at fostering the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers,” the CS explained.

According to Mr. Murkomen, the plan seeks to promote self-reliance and resilience among displaced populations while delivering tangible benefits to host communities, integrating refugees with local populations.

Additionally, he stated, “I highlighted the need to deepen collaboration not only to address immediate humanitarian needs but also to confront the underlying causes of displacement, including conflict and climate change.”

The CS also urged UNHCR to enhance advocacy for peace and the cessation of violence in affected regions, which is crucial for addressing the root causes of forced displacement.

Separately, Mr. Murkomen held a bilateral meeting on Monday with Mr. 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, and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction,” he said.

He added, “Capacity-building and training of personnel, technology transfer and innovation, exchange of information and best practices, and humanitarian cooperation during emergencies were also discussed.”

Mr. Kishore commended Kenya’s efforts, particularly its hosting of 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.”

Upon arriving on Monday morning, the CS paid a courtesy call on Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Geneva, Amb. Dr. Fancy Too, at the Kenyan Chancery.

He noted that Kenya’s presence in Geneva since 1995 has enabled the country to maintain strategic engagement in multilateral diplomacy and to 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,” said the CS.

He was accompanied by members of the Kenyan delegation also attending the global conference.