In Lodwar, the County Government of Turkana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Danish Refugee Council (DRC) to strengthen joint actions and collaboration as pertains uplifting living standards of communities, promoting peaceful coexistence, protecting, and the welfare of both refugees and host communities in Turkana.
The three-year MoU identifies and defines the institutional arrangements, the scope of the partnership, specific areas of cooperation and modalities for implementation.
The Deputy Governor, Dr John Erus, who witnessed the signing event, was cognizant of the fact that Turkana County is host to a bigger population of refugees and migrants who have been displaced overtime due to conflicts and wars in the region; and therefore needed to coexist peacefully with the host community.
“The MoU signed today, lays out a framework for collaboration between the parties, while considering the Governor’s Nine Transformative Agenda, to strengthen this partnership that is strategically geared towards improving living standards of communities, promoting peaceful coexistence, and protecting the welfare of both refugees and host communities,” said the DG.
He further added that MoU will create a platform in which the respective parties will cooperate in the realisation of their respective strategies and plans.
The County Secretary, Peter Eripete, who signed a three-year document on behalf of Turkana County, said DRC will work closely with all the County Departments on specific areas of interest.
He continued to list; emergency programming, peace building, resource mobilisation, livestock management, response to gender-based violence, climate resilience, child protection, land governance and natural resource management, technical and vocational training (TVET), linkages with financial services and Inclusive governance, budget capacity enhancements, support to public participation, advocacy and enhancing capacities for social accountability as some of the areas of cooperation with the Danish Organization up to December 2027.
For effective decision-making and implementation of MoU, the CS revealed, the parties agreed to form a joint steering committee (JSC) comprising senior officials from each entity. The parties will determine the composition and terms of reference for JSC.
Similarly, the Danish Refugee Council, Country Director, Simon Nzioka, lauded the cordial working partnership the DRC has had with Turkana County since 2013 up to date.
“The signing of this memorandum is aimed at cementing the already ongoing partnership which has existed since 2013. DRC has been implementing protection interventions around gender-based violence and child protection, cross-border peace building between Kenya and Uganda. It has also implemented humanitarian assistance and economic recovery interventions targeting refugee and host communities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei settlement, as well as communities in Turkana West, South, East And Loima sub-counties.”
Nzioka said.
He assured the senior county officials that the DRC will continue collaborating with County Government of Turkana, to build a society where displaced population and conflict affected communities in Turkana peacefully coexist, access economic opportunities, and their rights protected so that they live a life with dignity.
Those present during the event were; the County Executives, Peter Akono (Lands), David Erukudi (Trade), Ruth Emanikor (County Solicitor), Chief Officers; David Maraka (Disaster management), Leah Losiru ( Sports), Samuel Ekale (Economic Planning), Erastus Ethekon (County Attorney) and Thomas Kiyong’a (Deputy Director, Climate Change).
DRC had the following; James Curtis (Regional Director East Africa and Great Lakes), Hassan Dubat ( Area Manager Turkana Programs), Raphael Locham (Humanitarian Disarmament and Peace Building Manager), John Ekutan (Peace Building Officer Resilience, Peace and Stability Program Turkana) and Alfred James Loyok (Peace Building Officer, Karamoja SPA Project).
