EAC moves to address challenges facing refugees in region

By XINHUA

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) — The East African Community (EAC) said Monday that it remains committed to partnering with all stakeholders to develop policies and guidelines aimed at addressing human rights violations and challenges faced by refugees in East Africa. The commitment was expressed by Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, the EAC deputy secretary general responsible for infrastructure, productive, social and political sectors, during a courtesy call at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. Malueth highlighted the EAC’s efforts to address state fragility, establish and monitor regional peace mechanisms, implement democratic electoral processes, promote regional and bilateral mediation and reconciliation processes, and support transitional justice initiatives in the region. He said the EAC is developing joint guidelines to include forcibly displaced and stateless populations, particularly women and youth, in humanitarian, peace and development processes. On the other hand, Mamadou Dian Balde, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees director for East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes, emphasized the importance of supporting refugees on the continent. He stressed the need to equip refugees with life skills through training, ensuring that their lives are not wasted, saying the dream of every refugee is to have a better life and eventually return to their homes once stability is achieved. Enditem