President William Samoei Ruto on Sunday hosted United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Sahil for high-level talks at Sagana State Lodge, placing Kenya’s groundbreaking Shirika Plan at the centre of discussions on sustainable refugee management.
The meeting addressed the current state of refugees in Kenya and humanitarian support amid shifting global aid dynamics. Both leaders reviewed progress on the Shirika Plan, launched in March 2025, which puts host communities first while promoting long-term solutions.
“The Shirika Plan focuses on sustainable management of refugee affairs with the interests of the host communities at the centre,” President Ruto declared.
He went further, outlining the plan’s transformative vision: “Under my leadership, the Plan will ensure holistic development of the host counties by offering opportunities for refugees to harness their talents for self-reliance while contributing to our national development agenda.”
The discussions highlighted how the Shirika Plan is shifting refugee policy from dependence to economic integration, creating shared prosperity in refugee-hosting regions.
Present at the meeting were Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services Dr Belio Kipsang and Acting Commissioner for Refugee Affairs Mercy Mwasaru.
The Sagana talks reinforce Kenya’s leadership in crafting innovative, community-centred solutions for one of Africa’s largest refugee populations, balancing humanitarian responsibility with national development goals.
