By Sarah McGregor

Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 19, 2009 – The United Nations granted temporary asylum to 12 Eritrean soccer players who didn’t return home after playing a match in Kenya this month, the Standard said, citing unnamed officials.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees decided in consultations with Kenya’s Immigration department to allow the players to stay in Kenya and prepare their asylum cases, the Nairobi-based newspaper reported today on its Web site.

Eritrea rose to become the world’s ninth biggest country of origin for asylum-seekers in 2008, according to a report released on March 24 by the UNHCR.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah McGregor in Nairobi at Smcgregor5@bloomberg.net

Source: Bloomberg, December 18, 2009

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives | Search