The Deputy High Commissioner of the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Kelly T. Clements, has challenged the private sector in Africa to support the sustainable care for displaced persons across the continent.
This, she said, would not only ease the strain on donor resources, but would address funding challenges in meeting the needs of the 44 million forcibly displaced persons within the Sub-Saharan Africa.
She was speaking in Accra yesterday during the 2nd edition of the Africa Forum on Displacement (AFD): Private Sector Solutions.
The three-day event is organised by the UNHCR, Amahoro Coalition, an African-led initiative convening multi-sector actors from across the region to accelerate private sector leadership, and Inkomoko, a business support group.
It is to raise awareness among private sector stakeholders about the challenges faced by forcibly displaced people in the continent and discuss transformative approaches to addressing forced displacement in Africa.
More than 400 participants including refugees and private sector leaders from Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Congo, Ethiopia and Sudan are in attendance.
Ms Clements said the private sector could cede one per cent of resources including financial contributions, technical expertise and employment opportunities to displaced persons to support efforts to promote their inclusion and ensure economic empowerment.
She noted that, the private sector could, as a result of their contribution, tap the skills, talents and aspirations of displaced persons to grow their businesses.
She said, rising emergencies across Africa including political instability, violence and persecution had resulted in people, mostly women and children fleeing their homes in search of safe havens.
Although the UNHCR was fully aware of its responsibility of providing humanitarian aid to such displaced persons, Ms Clements said, the dragging of conflicts, rise in violent situations and climate-related events, had brought undue strain on donor funds.
“The UNHCR is at its breaking point. There is a shortage in the resources needed to meet the needs of forcibly displaced and host communities across Africa. This is why we call on the private sector to join in investing in uplifting displaced persons,” she stated.
Ms Clements said, the enormity of the situation required collaboration between local communities, private sector and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in designing and developing appropriate responses to complement the efforts of host governments and UNHCR.
“We are counting on your commitment to our displaced friends. Each of us can make a difference. Push for policy changes, welcome them although they are strangers and make them a part of your societies,” Ms Clements stated.
Chairman of the Ghana Refugee Board, Prof. Ken Attafuah, said Ghana deemed it extremely important to ensure that the vulnerable in society were taken care of, that their rights were upheld and were not left behind.
Given the increasing number of displaced persons, he said, it was time the private sector was partnered in ensuring the inclusion of refugees.
Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jnr, one of the conveners of the forum, called for continuous sensitisation of the private sector on the opportunities presented by displaced persons and how their contribution could help in building ideal societies
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
