Nation donates 5,800 tents to Somali refugees in Kenya

The Kenyan government received a donation on Tuesday of 5,800 tents from China in a bid to improve the living conditions of Somali refugees in the country.

Kenyan Interior Principal Secretary Monica Juma expressed appreciation for China's support for Somali refugees in Kenya during a ceremony in the coastal city of Mombasa.

She also appealed for more support from other donors, as "the issue of refugees is and should be a shared responsibility among the community of nations".

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa said the donation not only reflects China's strong support for the economic and social development of Kenya, but also demonstrates the profound friendship between the people of the two countries.

The project came after Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Kenya in May last year. The premier made a promise to provide assistance for the Somali refugees in Kenya at the request of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"We are very pleased to be here to witness that the commitment made by the Chinese government has been honored," Liu said. "We hope this humanitarian aid can improve the refugees' living conditions and promote Kenya's security as well."

He added that over the past few decades, under the framework of South-South cooperation, China has provided dozens of no-strings-attached economic aid to Kenya.

More than 5,000 Somali refugees have left Kenya voluntarily over the past two years from the Dadaab refugee camp, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Dadaab refugee camp, currently home to about 350,000 people, is the largest such settlement in the world. For more than 20 years, it has been home to generations of Somalis who have fled a country embroiled in conflict.