Inside Murkomen’s meetings with high-ranking UN officials

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has held a series of meetings with top-ranking United Nations (UN) officials.

Murkomen, who is in Geneva, Switzerland, for the ongoing 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction conference (GP25), met officials such as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Geneva Fancy Too, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Kamal Kishore and Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the UNHCR Raouf Mazou.

During the meeting with Too, Murkomen was accompanied by members of the Kenyan delegation to the ongoing 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction conference (GP25).

“This morning, I had the pleasure of paying a courtesy call on Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Geneva, H.E. Amb. Dr. Fancy Too, at the Kenyan Chancery. I was accompanied by members of the Kenyan delegation to the ongoing 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction conference (GP25). Kenya’s presence in Geneva since 1995 has provided us with a strategic platform for multilateral engagements and enabled us to make significant contributions towards building a safer and more resilient world,” Murkomen stated on Monday, June 2, 2025.

“The Ministry of Interior and National Administration is actively coordinating various institutions and agencies to manage and mitigate the adverse effects of disasters in the country. I look forward to the impactful and meaningful participation of our country during this important event.”

During the meeting with Kishore, the two discussed ways of strengthening collaboration between Kenya and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction on key sectors, including disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response, as well as post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

The discussions also centred on capacity-building and training of personnel, technology transfer and innovation, exchange of information and best practices, and humanitarian cooperation in emergencies.

“Today, I held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Murkomen revealed in a statement on June 2, 2025.

“The Special Representative lauded the efforts of Kenya, which hosts the UN-Habitat, in making cities resilient. He also congratulated Kenya on its recent launch of the “Early Warnings for All” initiative (EW4All) to enhance disaster preparedness, a key step towards fostering anticipatory action and protecting lives and livelihoods from disasters.”

During the meeting with Mazou, the two discussed the recently launched Shirika Plan—a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at fostering the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers. The plan promotes self-reliance and resilience among displaced populations while delivering tangible benefits to host communities.

Murkomen and Mazou also discussed the need to deepen collaboration to not only address immediate humanitarian needs but also confront the underlying causes of displacement, including conflict and climate change.

“Kenya and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have a longstanding partnership—spanning over 56 years— in supporting refugees and asylum seekers. This evening, I had the honour of meeting with Mr. Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the UNHCR, who acknowledged Kenya’s unwavering commitment to protecting refugees and managing their affairs,” Murkomen stated.

“I urged the UNHCR to amplify advocacy for peace and the cessation of violence in affected regions— which is critical in tackling forced displacement at its root. The Government of Kenya remains firmly committed to its responsibilities as a host country and will continue to work closely with UNHCR and all partners.”