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In what was described as "a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the newly arrived Somali refugees" the Commission of the African Union (AU) today donated US$ 50,000 worth of non-food items to UNHCR in support of newly arrived Somali refugees. In a statement sent to UNHCR, the AU expressed appreciation for the assistance rendered by the UNHCR and humanitarian actors to the refugees.

A six-person AU delegation led by H.E. Mrs. Julia D. Joiner, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, traveled to Sheder refugee camp in Eastern Ethiopia where the donation, comprising blankets, sleeping mats, jerrycans and other basic essentials for camp life were handed over to the refugees.

The AU delegation was accompanied by H.E. Mr. Mull Katende, Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons; Mr. Moses Okello, UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, Mrs. Reine Alapini-Gansou, Chairperson of the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights and Ato Ayalew Aweke, Deputy Director of the Ethiopian government refugee agency-ARRA.

H.E. Mrs. Joiner noted that the gesture only commemorates the occasion of the World Refugee Day and is an expression of solidarity, and hopes that the celebration will only take place when refugees actually return to their homes - which is the theme of this year's commemoration.

The donation is part of a total contribution of US$ 650,000 which the AU made this year through UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies in Uganda, Western Sahara, Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Congo Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in support of projects aimed at alleviating the plight of refugees, returnees and Internally Displaced Persons across Africa.

In his observation, Mr. Moses Okello, the UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia said that "UNHCR deeply values the support that the AU continues to give to refugees not only in Ethiopia but all over Africa". He added that "UNHCR extends its profound appreciation for the strong and enduring relationship enjoyed between the two organizations."

Established in 2008, Sheder is one of five refugee camps in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia that are sheltering a total of over 71,000 Somali refugees. Although there has been a new influx in recent times, the overwhelming majority of those already in the country arrived in Ethiopia since 2007.

Ethiopia currently hosts some 135,000 refugees, mainly Somalis, Eritreans and Sudanese.