President. – The next item is the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the Dadaab refugee camp (2017/2687(RSP)).
Christos Stylianides,on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Madam President, dear colleagues, honourable Members of the European Parliament, thank you for taking this timely initiative to discuss the Dadaab refugee camp situation. You know the facts. In May 2016 the Kenyan Government announced its decision to close down the camp in the near future, citing security concerns and the need to end the protracted refugee situation. On 13 November the Government announced that the closure would be delayed by six months on humanitarian grounds. According to the announcement, priority was to be given to relocating non-Somali refugees to other camps – and this process has started – and to reintegrating Kenyans living in the camp.
To date over 23 000 refugees have been returned from Dadaab to Somalia. This year, however, on 9 February, the Kenyan High Court declared the Government’s decision to close the camp null and void and described the repatriation of refugees as unconstitutional and discriminatory. Yet the Kenyan Government has not officially changed its proposed closure date, 31 May 2017. That is 16 days away. The Government has recognised that the voluntary repatriation process must be implemented in accordance with the tripartite agreement between Kenya, Somalia and the UNCHR. When we consider the situation in Dadaab, we must also bear in mind the existing context in the whole of Africa, especially in Somalia. Despite some positive political developments during the past year, a renewed drought is bringing the country to its knees. Famine is looming. 6.7 million people, half of the total population, are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. 683 000 people have been internally displaced because of the drought. As a result, humanitarian partners are now preparing for a possible influx of Somali refugees to neighbouring countries. We must also be aware that the EU adheres to the principle that returns must be voluntary, dignified and sustainable. Given the current context, that is a real challenge, a very huge challenge, and there may be further instability ahead for a country and a region already on the brink.
We must collectively commend the host communities of Dadaab, the people of Kenya and their Government for offering sanctuary to people fleeing violence, conflict and hunger. That is the message which I personally conveyed to the Kenyan Government and authorities when I visited Dadaab last year. The Government of Kenya is a driver of regional initiatives and has shown willingness to find a collective solution to this issue, in line with international standards and principles. That point was made in the Mogadishu Declaration of 22 February 2017, jointly endorsed by the region’s presidents, and also at the IGAD Summit, held in Nairobi on 25 March this year, on sustainable solutions for Somalian refugees.
The EU has already welcomed the Nairobi declaration. I would like to reiterate the importance of rapid implementation of the commitments underlying it. Investment in development has to be increased and better coordinated, but that is not enough. Policies need to be changed, especially for job access and for living outside the camps, as well as creating conditions in Somalia allowing people to go home. I am glad to know that the spirit of the Nairobi declaration is reflected in the resolution of this Parliament.
Dear colleagues, another positive milestone was the London Somalia Conference on 11 May 2017, just two weeks ago. The agreement on a security pact and the new Partnership for Somalia was an important step forward. The European Union has announced an additional EUR 200 million for the period up to 2020. The EU trust fund is also providing EUR 50 million in Somalia to support the voluntary return of Somalian refugees. Of course, as the European Union we remain engaged in providing humanitarian assistance in the Dadaab camp and Somalia, in parallel with development support to foster conditions conducive to return including security and access to basic services in Somalia.
The Commission itself has supported humanitarian assistance to refugees in Kenya with nearly EUR 130 million since 1996 and EUR 12.7 million this year alone. At the same time the EU has intensified programmes aimed at strengthening state building and stabilising Somalia. In addition, in response to the security threats coming from terrorists in Somalia, we are supporting various projects to counter violent extremists with an overall budget of EUR 18 million.
As I said, the EU acknowledges the generosity that Kenya and other countries in the region have shown to Somalian refugees. We hope that the Kenyan Government will continue to provide protection and asylum to refugees until they can voluntarily return home.
We all need to collectively support the country doing this and to do so in a way that benefits both the refugees and the host communities in Dadaab. We also need to make every effort to help consolidate peace in Somalia.
That is the only way to resolve the protracted refugee crisis in the region.
I am grateful, as the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, that Parliament is continuing to support the common efforts to bring about a sustainable and lasting solution to the regional refugee crisis.
I welcome the resolution tabled, which seeks to further support these measures.
Thank you so much for your attention to this statement. I am looking forward to our in-depth discussions that will help us to see together how to evaluate the situation in the Dadaab camp.
PRZEWODNICTWO: RYSZARD CZARNECKI Wiceprzewodniczący
Mariya Gabriel, au nom du groupe PPE. – Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Commissaire, chers collègues, la population du camp de Dadaab approche maintenant les 266 000 personnes: 95 % sont originaires de Somalie et 60 % sont mineures. Cette population ne cesse de s’accroître depuis maintenant trois décennies. Cette situation n’est tenable ni pour le gouvernement du Kenya, ni pour les pays avoisinants et encore moins pour toutes les personnes qui y habitent.
La fermeture du camp est une décision souveraine. Oui, j’en suis sûre, elle est motivée par un souci de protection de la population des menaces terroristes d’Al-Chabab. Toutefois, nous ne pouvons pas abandonner les réfugiés somaliens à leur sort, cela ne résoudra en rien la situation actuelle et n’aura pour effet que de déstabiliser davantage la région et de renforcer les groupes terroristes qui prônent la radicalisation.
Je tiens à saluer l’action de l’Union, qui a alloué 286 millions d’euros pour la période 2014-2020 par le biais du Fonds européen de développement et du Fonds fiduciaire européen pour l’Afrique.
Aujourd’hui, en tant qu’Union, nous devons assumer notre rôle de médiateur et, surtout, nous devons motiver une réponse régionale urgente avec trois priorités: tout d’abord, le retour et la réintégration des réfugiés dans l’esprit de l’accord tripartite signé entre le Haut-Commissariat des Nations unies pour les réfugiés, le Kenya et la Somalie. Ensuite, la mise en place de mesures pour la stabilisation de la situation en Somalie, toujours avec une approche qui, en dépassant la réponse d’urgence, vise le développement économique et humain durable des populations. Enfin, le renforcement du dialogue politique entre tous les pays de la région, les organisations subrégionales et l’Union africaine.
La sécurité, la lutte contre le terrorisme et la radicalisation sont des défis que nous devons relever conjointement, en tant que partenaires. Nous devons apporter des réponses concrètes et rapides qui soient à la hauteur des dangers qui guettent la région: famine, sécheresse et guerre. Il est crucial que notre action vise à trouver des solutions aux principales causes déstabilisatrices et ainsi à assurer la résilience économique, politique et humaine des populations et des États.
Elena Valenciano, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señor presidente, comisario, yo tengo que felicitarle por su permanente compromiso con causas tan desesperadas como la de Dadaab.
Lo cierto es que la Unión Europea está contribuyendo —económicamente, desde luego— al sostenimiento mínimo de los refugiados somalíes, aunque es evidente que nada es suficiente y la llamada del secretario general de las Naciones Unidas así lo demuestra.
Dinero, somos capaces de donar. Podemos hacer intervención diplomática; fomentar, como decía mi colega, una solución regional; darle un papel a la Unión Africana.
Lo cierto es que la Unión Europea no está muy bien situada para dar lecciones a Kenia, que es un país que ha demostrado una enorme generosidad con los refugiados, a pesar de las dificultades que el propio país tiene. Y lo cierto también es que el Cuerno de África se encuentra en una situación muy peligrosa, derivada no solamente de los riesgos del terrorismo, sino de la hambruna y también la sequía.
¿Cómo podemos hacer para ser más eficaces en la ayuda que esos seres humanos necesitan? Porque aunque se cierre el campo, las personas no se van a disolver: las personas se multiplican. ¿Cómo podemos ser más eficaces? Es el elemento que tenemos que encontrar.
Probablemente una mayor implicación en las soluciones de fondo hacia Somalia, y un apoyo más concreto a las autoridades de Kenia para que sean capaces de hacer ese realojamiento que, por el momento, parece directamente un infierno.
Para los refugiados, regreso voluntario a Somalia... Parece casi una broma hablar de regreso voluntario a un lugar en el que no les espera más que la desesperación.
En todo caso, me parece muy positivo que el Parlamento Europeo se posicione sobre esta cuestión y que Dadaab esté en nuestros debates, y yo le animo a seguir insistiendo en la línea que usted desarrolla, comisario Stylianides.
Marie-Christine Vergiat, au nom du groupe GUE/NGL. – Monsieur le Président, le camp de Dadaab, créé en 1991 au moment du début de la guerre civile en Somalie, est le plus grand camp de réfugiés du monde. Il accueille aujourd’hui plus de la moitié des 486 000 réfugiés présents au Kenya. Ils sont très majoritairement Somaliens et, dans une moindre mesure, Sud-Soudanais.
Le pays paie sa présence en Somalie dans la lutte contre les Chabab et subit des représailles, comme en septembre 2013, avec les 172 morts du centre commercial Westgate à Nairobi et, plus récemment, les 148 morts de l’université de Garissa, en 2015. La peur et le rejet montent dans la population kényane.
Comme ailleurs, les réfugiés semblent de plus en plus devenir un enjeu électoral. On assiste à un chantage récurrent à la fermeture des camps et les retours forcés se multiplient malgré la dangerosité et la dégradation de la situation en Somalie et bien que 86 % des Somaliens s’y refusent.
On parle de lutte contre les causes profondes de la migration, mais cela passe d’abord par la solidarité, alors que les réponses proposées sont de plus en plus militaires et sécuritaires. Pire, le HCR n’a récolté que 15 % des 215 millions de dollars dont il a besoin pour prendre en charge les réfugiés du Kenya, alors que la sécheresse ne cesse d’aggraver la situation sanitaire. Nous allons vers une catastrophe humanitaire sans précédent. Il y a urgence.
La communauté internationale prend une lourde responsabilité et les politiques européennes ne sont pas à la hauteur du drame qui se joue ici. L’aide humanitaire est totalement insuffisante.
Heidi Hautala, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, many of us remember when the first ships carrying Somalis started to come in the early 1990s. It is unimaginable that some people who then found refuge and life in Europe have colleagues and family members who ended up in Dadaab and in a smaller camp called Kakuma, which I visited some years ago. Some of these people have been living there for 25 years without any perspective on life outside the camp. Happily, of course, the camp has formed some good relations with the local communities and I think this is something that has to be supported, but the surrounding communities also need investment in development so that they can prosper and live beside the camp.
I think that it is very important to note the promising cooperation of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development of the region (IGAD). They recently had a summit, which was also mentioned in our resolution, and have admirably agreed to facilitate a voluntary return back home. We should in no way support any kind of forced returns to a situation which climate change is worsening, and where famine is threatening people’s lives – the Commissioner mentioned internally displaced people – and so we also need, as Europeans, to take our responsibility for resettlement of some of the people living in the camp.
James Carver, on behalf of the EFDD Group. – Mr President, Kenya has accepted refugees at Dadaab since 1992. The tripartite agreement between Kenya, Somalia and the UNHCR has led to some repatriation, thus we have been content to ignore this issue. In that time Kenya has suffered many terrorist-related attacks, not least at the Westgate Shopping Centre attributed to Al-Shabab recruitment in Dadaab. These camps should provide temporary safe havens and not dump victims of war and droughts. Dadaab represents all that is wrong with the way that we deal with displaced persons. Ludicrously, in a separate debate this week we will vote to condemn one of the only stabilising states in this region. Ethiopia has provided troops, material and money to overcome the anarchy in Somalia, but it is always inconvenient in this place to look at the bigger picture. Thus we find ourselves bemoaning the plights of displaced people, the inadequacies of African governments, and at the same time, undermine yet another country in this troubled region.
Bogdan Brunon Wenta (PPE). – Panie Przewodniczący! Panie Komisarzu! Prawie trzydzieści lat kryzysu humanitarnego w Somalii to także ponad dwa miliony przesiedlonych Somalijczyków, z których większość znalazła schronienie w sąsiednich krajach Rogu Afryki, w tym w Kenii, a konkretnie w Dadaab. Porozumienie trójstronne między UNHCR, Somalią i Kenią daje pewną możliwość powrotów ze względu na poprawę sytuacji politycznej, stabilności i bezpieczeństwa w Somalii, której niewątpliwie daleko do doskonałości, ale która zmusza ludzi do powrotu do ich kraju pochodzenia.
Władze Kenii argumentują zamknięcie obozu panującą tam sytuacją i rekrutowaniem przez organizacje terrorystyczne nowych członków wśród osób, które zamieszkują obóz. Jest to pewien argument za tym, co ma się zdarzyć w maju. Mimo że decyzja kenijskiego sądu oraz nakaz zamknięcia kompleksu był niezgodny z konstytucją i miał dyskryminujący charakter, sytuacja w Dadaab bardzo trafnie ilustruje złożoność powiązań między problemami uchodźstwa oraz wyzwaniami w zakresie zarządzania granicami budowania stabilności.
Sądzę, że globalny i regionalny plan działania z Nairobi uchwalony w marcu tego roku jest ważną deklaracją mówiącą o tym, że uchodźcy, którzy zdecydują się pozostać w państwie przyjmującym, powinni mieć dostęp do zatrudnienia i usług, a także możliwość przemieszczania się. Należy podkreślić, że powroty do Somalii, jeżeli już są, muszą się odbywać zgodnie z międzynarodowymi standardami, czyli dobrowolnie, bezpiecznie i z poszanowaniem praw człowieka. Unia powinna przeznaczyć na ten cel środki z funduszu powierniczego dla Afryki, a także wspierać przy jego pomocy projekty oddolne, które poprawią jakość i dostępność podstawowych usług.
Maria Arena (S&D). – Monsieur le Président, il y a deux mois, grâce au soutien du Haut-commissariat des Nations unies pour les réfugiés, j’ai eu l’occasion de visiter le camp de réfugiés de Dadaab, créé dans les années 90 et qui comptait alors 90 000 places. Aujourd’hui, il accueille plus de 260 000 réfugiés.
L’Afrique de l’Est vit aujourd’hui une crise humanitaire des plus alarmantes due à la sécheresse, dont l’épicentre est, une nouvelle fois, en Somalie. Les Somaliens sont les plus représentés dans le camp, puisqu’ils constituent plus de 90 % de sa population. En 2011, la sécheresse avait déjà provoqué la mort de 260 000 personnes. Il faut agir de toute urgence.
Le sommet de l’IGAD a permis de reconnaître le rôle et la générosité des pays voisins qui assument la protection internationale des réfugiés, en dépit de leurs propres difficultés socio-économiques, environnementales et de sécurité nationale. Toutefois, j’en appelle désormais à un partage mondial de la responsabilité que supporte cette région.
La résolution d’aujourd’hui va dans ce sens. Elle demande à l’Europe d’accepter sa part des relocalisations, comme le font le Canada et l’Australie. Elle soutient les retours volontaires, mais reconnaît que ces retours sont difficiles dans le contexte actuel de la sécheresse. Elle sait que Dadaab ne pourra fermer ses portes et demande donc une augmentation de l’aide. Elle réclame également plus d’aide au développement pour la région et les communautés locales, qui portent aujourd’hui le fardeau de cette migration, mais elle demande également que le fonds fiduciaire de l’Union pour l’Afrique soit correctement alimenté et efficace.
D’une manière générale, la résolution demande un plus grand partage des charges mais aussi des solutions durables en matière de développement social, économique et environnemental.
Marina Albiol Guzmán (GUE/NGL). – Señor presidente: el campo de Dadaab, en Kenia, donde tratan de sobrevivir casi 250 000 somalíes; los 50 000 refugiados y refugiadas de la guerra de Mali que están en Mauritania; las 250 000 personas de Sudán refugiadas en los campos de Chad; o el pueblo saharaui, que lleva cuarenta años en los campamentos de Argelia... son solo algunos ejemplos de los cientos de campos que hay en África.
Pero la Unión Europea ha pervertido los fondos de cooperación y los condiciona a que los gobiernos de los países receptores se plieguen a las demandas de la «Europa fortaleza». Los fondos de cooperación ahora los dedican, por ejemplo, a construir centros de detención en Níger o a financiar ejércitos de determinados países africanos para que apliquen las políticas migratorias que marca Bruselas, políticas para que quienes huyen de la guerra, la pobreza o la explotación, se queden en esos campos sin condiciones dignas o se queden en sus países sufriendo la barbarie. Políticas para que nadie llegue a Europa.
África acoge a cuatro millones y medio de personas con el estatuto de refugiado. Aquí, en cambio, no han querido cumplir el objetivo absolutamente insuficiente de reubicar a 160 000 personas en los distintos países de la Unión Europea.
Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, come molti hanno ricordato Dadaab è stato istituito già nel 1991 come soluzione temporanea per coloro che cercano rifugio da persecuzioni, violenza e instabilità nella regione dell'Africa orientale, inclusa dalla guerra civile in Somalia. È il più grande campo rifugiati del mondo, secondo l'ONU, con 245 000 persone, il 60 per cento dei quali sono sotto i 18 anni, senza istruzione né lavoro.
Purtroppo la questione dei rifugiati somali a Dadaab è diventata oggetto di campagna elettorale per il presidente Kenyatta, al grido dello slogan di combattere il terrorismo. Abbiamo accolto e accettato, ovviamente, il giudizio della Corte suprema di Nairobi che afferma che tale decisione, di chiudere il campo di Dadaab, è nulla, ma purtroppo il governo a sua volta ha fatto appello e non può, a nostro avviso, dire semplicemente a centinaia di migliaia di persone di tornare alla guerra, alla fame e alla povertà estrema da cui sono fuggiti. Ricordiamo che la convenzione delle Nazioni Unite per i rifugiati vieta il rimpatrio in aree dove la loro vita e la loro libertà sono minacciate e questo è il caso certamente della Somalia, vessata da siccità, carestia, colera e violenza.
Come buone pratiche da copiare c'è quella invece dell'Uganda con la sua strategia di "autoaffidamento", in cui i rifugiati possono lavorare liberamente e muoversi. Queste sono le buone pratiche da copiare, non certo la chiusura indiscriminata portata avanti dall'attuale governo.
Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, noi spesso ci preoccupiamo, ancora nel dibattito di stamane sulla ricollocazione, di come affrontare e accogliere in Europa i rifugiati e i richiedenti asilo in fuga dalle loro terre dilaniate da conflitti e dalle conseguenti situazioni di povertà.
In realtà ci preoccupiamo solo, ma non facciamo quasi nulla per avere una politica comune europea dell'immigrazione. Accanto a ciò abbiamo, nello stesso tempo, difficoltà a vedere che la crisi umanitaria dei rifugiati non è soltanto un fenomeno situato alle porte dell'Europa e nell'area del Mediterraneo, ma è una situazione di carattere globale. Sono presenti milioni di rifugiati e sfollati fuori dal contesto europeo che non possiamo ignorare.
Il campo rifugiati di Dadaab è l'esempio evidente di ciò di cui stiamo parlando ed è anche per noi, Commissario, un banco di prova sulle nostre capacità di intervento e di accompagnamento dell'accordo tra Kenya, Somalia e UNHCR.
Cosa deve guidarci in questa nostra azione europea? Due direttrici di marcia che considero fondamentali: la prima riguarda la salvaguardia del principio del diritto internazionale umanitario. La seconda, abbiamo l'esigenza di un diverso approccio della politica di cooperazione capace di intervenire sulle condizioni di conflitto e di povertà. Non fare ciò significa pagare con gli interessi questa nostra assenza.
Cécile Kashetu Kyenge (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signor Commissario, il campo profughi di Dadaab, il più grande al mondo, compie quest'anno 26 anni. Un campo che avrebbe dovuto fornire un'accoglienza temporanea soprattutto ai rifugiati somali e che, invece, si è trasformato in un ghetto permanente di 260 000 persone. Almeno due generazioni sono nate e cresciute in quello che è un simbolo della miseria sociale dei profughi in Africa, del fallimento delle politiche di sviluppo e di pacificazione di quell'area e dell'incapacità, anche, di gestire globalmente il fenomeno migratorio.
Etiopi, eritrei, sudanesi, sud-sudanesi, somali, sono loro gli abitanti senza diritti di questa metropoli, costretti a vivere una vita "non-vita", perché privati di un futuro e di una speranza. Sulla loro pelle le autorità e la comunità internazionale prendono decisioni che la stessa Corte Suprema ha definito essere un atto di persecuzione di massa, illegale e quindi incostituzionale. È vero, il campo di Dadaab è un hub di miseria, di illegalità e di soprusi, soprattutto nei confronti di donne, bambini e gruppi vulnerabili.
Tuttavia, è difficile prevedere le sorti di questi profughi nel caso si ritrovassero all'improvviso senza un tetto. È una responsabilità collettiva mettere fine all'instabilità politica della regione, creare finalmente i presupposti per una politica di sviluppo sostenibile e ripensare le nostre politiche migratorie, sapendo che cogliendone le sfide ma anche le opportunità, senza pace e stabilità e in mancanza di un approccio olistico al fenomeno migratorio, non ci sarà un futuro per nessun profugo né all'interno di un campo né nei loro paesi di origine.
Maria Noichl (S&D). – Herr Präsident, sehr geehrter Herr Kommissar, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Ich möchte an allererster Stelle Kenia Dank sagen, dass es sich – obwohl das Lager natürlich nicht optimal ist, das ist klar – wirklich mit großer Gastfreundschaft gezeigt hat. Ich war vor sechs Monaten selber vor Ort. Ich habe Dadaab besucht, ich habe mit den Ortsverantwortlichen, der einheimischen Bevölkerung, dem Bürgermeister und auch mit Bewohnern im Lager Gespräche geführt. Es war für mich einerseits beschämend, die Situation im Lager zu sehen, die natürlich sehr hoffnungslos wirkt, aber andererseits war es auch beschämend zu erleben, dass die Menschen nichts haben und trotzdem teilen. Die Menschen wurden in diesem großen Lager wirklich gut aufgenommen.
Ich möchte drei Gedanken hier in den Raum stellen: Unsere Hilfe, die wir leisten muss in Zukunft effektiver eingesetzt werden. Nicht mehr für kurzfristige Lager, sondern wirklich für langfristige Integration, für Hilfe, für Fluchtursachenbekämpfung, für Klimaschutz und so weiter und so fort. Wir brauchen ganz dringend natürlich jetzt Hilfe vor Ort, aber in Zukunft langfristig effektiver eingesetzte finanzielle Mittel.
Wir müssen dringend Perspektiven schaffen – Perspektiven für diese Menschen. Fahren Sie einmal hin, schauen Sie sich das an! Ich denke, die Hoffnungslosigkeit und die Perspektivlosigkeit ist schlimmer als der Hunger. Und wir müssen für Europa lernen. Für Europa habe ich in Dadaab gelernt, dass Übergangslösungen von Lager oder von Ghettos keine Lösungen sind. In Dadaab wird jetzt gesprochen, wir müssen die Menschen irgendwie integrieren. Ja, man hat 25 Jahre gewartet und nicht integriert. Jetzt ist das Problem aufgestaut wie eine Integrationswelle, der wir jetzt gar nicht mehr Herr werden. Das heißt: Wir müssen helfen, so gut wir können, und wir müssen lernen.
Julie Ward (S&D). – Mr President, I have visited Kenya twice in the past few months, meeting EU officials and the British Embassy, and I know the resolution is right to emphasise the impact of climate change in the East Africa region and the human displacement and famine it has caused, in combination with the enduring conflict and human rights abuses. These large-scale international processes require regional and international responses, and the EU can and must play a role. Kenyan authorities have done much to host these refugees over 25 years, and the international community, including the EU, must step up its efforts. 60% of the camp’s residents are women and children, and we must do more to ensure access to education while they are in the camps and for those who voluntarily return to Somalia or seek asylum. More must be done to provide mental health support, and the needs of women and girls must be taken into account. President Trump’s cuts in US funding to the region will not help, and neither will Brexit, as the UK’s special relationship with Kenya has allowed the country to punch above its weight at EU level, especially helping in the fight against Al-Shabab on the border. Security and a compassionate response must go hand in hand.
Catch-the-eye procedure
Νότης Μαριάς (ECR). – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, αυτή τη στιγμή στην Κένυα βρίσκονται πάνω από 500.000 πρόσφυγες. Απ’ αυτούς, 245.000 πρόσφυγες στοιβάζονται κυριολεκτικά στις πέντε ζώνες του προσφυγικού καταυλισμού του Dadaab. Προέρχονται κυρίως από τη Σομαλία. Το Dadaab είναι ένα στρατόπεδο, ένας χώρος προσφυγικής συγκέντρωσης, που ξεκίνησε το 1991 και είναι γνωστές οι προσπάθειες που έκανε η τζιχαντιστική οργάνωση αλ Σαμπάντ να δημιουργήσει προβλήματα στην περιοχή και να πετύχει ουσιαστικά τη διάλυση του στρατοπέδου. Σήμερα, η κατάσταση στο Dadaab είναι απελπιστική. Χιλιάδες προσφυγές στοιβάζονται και πρέπει να ληφθούν μέτρα για να στηρίξουμε την ύπαρξή τους εκεί, να στηρίξουμε αυτό το στρατόπεδο, να δώσουμε βοήθεια στην Κένυα, η οποία πραγματικά σ’ αυτή τη φάση αντιμετωπίζει επίσης προβλήματα, μια και έχουμε έντονη ξηρασία στην περιοχή. Ταυτόχρονα, πρέπει, όσοι πρόσφυγες επιθυμούν, να διευκολυνθούν να επιστρέψουν στη Σομαλία. Στη Σομαλία η οποία πρέπει πραγματικά να σταθεροποιηθεί, μια και σήμερα τουλάχιστον 25.000 άτομα κινδυνεύουν να πεθάνουν από χολέρα.
(Koniec zgłoszeń z sali)
Christos Stylianides,on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, there is no doubt that we have had a very useful exchange, and I thank all the honourable Members for their interventions.
From this debate, I can conclude that we all share a common interest in using EU diplomatic power and EU instruments to their full potential in support of the Somali refugee crisis. We will continue to make the best use of all the instruments available to us in humanitarian relief, stabilisation and development assistance, as well as political dialogue with specific support to human rights and democracy.
Personally, as Commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, I must highlight once again the importance of adhering to international law and norms with regard to returns. They must be voluntary, dignified and sustainable. For me it is quite important to be very focused on these three preconditions – voluntary, dignified and sustainable.
The vast majority of the crises in Africa are man-made and entirely avoidable. The extreme climate conditions exacerbate the effects of chronic conflict and instability. Uganda and some other countries in the region which have shown openness towards hundreds of thousands of refugees from South Sudan and the DRC, among others, are to be commended. I am intending to attend, as Commissioner, the solidarity conference to be convened in Uganda next month under the auspices of the Secretary—General, Antonio Guterres. I am going there to express the EU’s support and solidarity but, most importantly, to discuss and push for efforts to address the root causes of all those crises – not only the symptoms, because for me it is quite important to focus on the root causes. Otherwise it is quite difficult to find solutions because, if we deal only with the symptoms, unfortunately the situation there continues as business as usual. This is totally unacceptable, especially for vulnerable people.
Thank you very much for your attention and for this very good debate, focusing on the Dadaab refugee camp.
Przewodniczący. – Otrzymałem pięć projektów rezolucji złożonych zgodnie z art 123 ust. 2 Regulaminu.
Zamykam debatę.
Głosowanie odbędzie się w czwartek 18 maja 2017 r.
Oświadczenia pisemne (art. 162)
Urmas Paet (ALDE), kirjalikult. – Dadaabi pagulaslaager loodi 1991. aastal ajutise laagrina Somaalia põgenikele. Tänasel päeval on laagris 260 000 inimest, kellest 95% on somaallased. Arvestades praegust olukorda Somaalias, kus on nii julgeolekuprobleemid kui ka aina halvenevad elutingimused põua ja näljahäda tõttu, ei peaks Dadaabi pagulaslaagrist inimesi sinna tagasi saatma. Seda eriti olukorras, kus laagris on inimesi, kes ei ole kunagi Somaalias käinud, vaid on juba selles laagris sündinud. Naasmine Somaaliasse peab olema rangelt vabatahtlik ja vastavuses rahvusvaheliste nõuetega. EL peab selle olukorra lahendamisele kaasa aitama ja saab seda teha, püüdes aidata kaasa pagulaste ümberpaigutamisele teistesse riikidesse ning panustades poliitilise lahenduse leidmisse selles piirkonnas.