Towards Durable Solutions : Achievements and Challenges in Supporting Voluntary Returns of IDPs in Somalia

With more than one million Somali refugees in the region in addition to an estimated 1.1 million people displaced within Somali, needs to identify and support comprehensive solutions are imminent and urgent. While fragility and insecurity persist and access by humanitarian and development actors remain limited in many parts of South Central Somalia, spontaneous returns are gaining momentum. The UNHCR-led Somalia Return Consortium has released a report assessing the support provided to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia since 2012. The report highlights the achievements and challenges in facilitating voluntary returns of IDPs and emphasizes the need for sustainable solutions to address the displacement crisis. Returns, conditioned by the fact that these are also informed and fully voluntary, remain among the preferred solutions to end what for many have been years and even decades of displacement. The study, conducted in collaboration with Samuel Hall, provides valuable insights and recommendations for future support, emphasizing the urgency of finding comprehensive solutions for Somali refugees and internally displaced people. The Consortium aims to provide standardized and coordinated assistance to facilitate voluntary and informed returns.