Europe seeks to reduce migration by refugees getting access to employment in their host countries. PHOTO | FILE
Kenya has kicked off a campaign against the rights of refugees
to access jobs in host countries, which could put the country at odds
with the international community.
The EastAfrican
has learnt that Nairobi is seeking to defeat a proposal being pushed by
the European Union to allow refugees to get jobs in host countries just
like other labour migrants.
The proposal comes as a
Bill seeking to give refugees the right to own land and get jobs and
business permits awaits presidential assent after sailing through
parliament.
The bid to lock the refugees out of the
local job market has elicited mixed reactions, leading to calls for
further consultations before Africa takes a common position on the
matter.
At the recent International Labour Conference
in Geneva, Kenya and other countries pushing for the counter proposal
argued that allowing refugees to compete for the few available jobs with
locals was not fair.
Kenya said allowing refugees to
work in the country could pose security risks, given that the planning
of some past terror attacks in the country was undertaken at the Dadaab
refugee camp.
The matter was brought before the caucus of the African
delegation in Geneva a day before the International Labour Organisation
conference started on June 3, but government delegations across the
continent called for more consultations before the issue could become a
subject of discussion at the ILO.
The lack of a common
stand from Africa resulted in exclusive discussions on the plight of
labour migrants and the need for support and protection of their rights.
Some African countries, among them South Africa and Ethiopia, called for more consultations to avoid problems like xenophobia.
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Sources
at the meeting revealed that countries opposed to Kenya’s proposal
argued that some refugees have skills that are needed in the job market.
However,
countries supporting Kenya argued that granting refugees the right to
get jobs in host countries would amount to brain drain and the refugees
might not go back to provide solutions to problems in their own
countries.
Most countries, among them EU member states,
called for continued consultations to build consensus and better
understanding on the matter.
The governments of Norway
and Malta distanced themselves from the debate on refugees, and urged
the committee members to steer clear of the subject.
“Norway
noted that migration would increase as long as wars, conflict, poverty
and inequalities existed. The present discussion should focus on labour
migration exclusively, not refugees or asylum seekers,” reads a report
prepared by the Labour Migration committee of the International Labour
Conference.
Bill awaiting assent
In
Nairobi, a private member’s Bill pushing for the rights of refugees to
get employment in Kenya is awaiting presidential assent to become law,
but the government’s new push may jeopardise its chances.
The
Bill, pushed by Dhiwa Member of Parliament Agostino Neto, wants
refugees to have land ownership rights and access to business
opportunities and work permits.
The Kenyan government
has been at loggerheads with the international community over the plight
of refugees since it started the process of repatriating 500,000
refugees to Somalia last year.
The UK and Germany have
been pushing for the rights of refugees to get jobs in host countries to
reduce the high numbers resorting to dangerous trips through the
Mediterranean Sea in search of jobs in Europe.
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