NAIROBI, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Policymakers, migration experts and regional stakeholders at a forum held on Sunday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, called for long-term, sustainable solutions to address the drivers of displacement and migration in the Horn of Africa.
Held under the theme "Securing Sustainable Solutions for Migration in Somalia," the Annual Migration Conference brought together representatives from governments, regional bodies, the United Nations, civil society organizations, and academic institutions to address the multiple drivers of migration in Somalia, including conflict, poverty, climate change, and weak governance structures.
Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, Somalia's ambassador to Kenya, underscored the need for lasting peace, socio-economic development and cross-border cooperation to stem irregular migration and internal displacement in Somalia.
"Sustainable solutions must extend beyond emergency responses and must be Somali-led and regionally supported," Abdulle said.
Mohamed Omar, an expert on disaster displacement at the Climate Prediction and Applications Center of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional bloc, decried the rise in climate-induced displacement in Somalia, particularly due to recurrent floods, droughts and desertification.
Omar added that planning based on early warning systems can help communities reduce the drivers of irregular migration.
Bisharo Ali Hussein, migration governance and policy development officer at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations migration agency, noted that legal migrants are beneficial because of their remittances and technology transfer to home countries.
Hussein stressed that the IOM is committed to supporting Somalia in implementing inclusive and evidence-based migration policies.
