Govt blames low refugee funding on wars across globe
South Sudanese refugees at Elegu reception centre in Amuru District recently. The government has repatriated more than 13,000 refugees to their home countries amid dwindling refugee funding in the country. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
- Uganda currently hosts more than 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers, straining the country’s resources as donor funding declines.
The minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees says the current low donor funding for refugees is due to the ongoing wars across the globe, which have created crises and shifted donor support to the affected countries.
Minister Hilary Onek yesterday said, during an event in Kampala, the World Food Programme (WFP) is now giving each refugee $3 a month (about Shs10,900) to live on and as a result, many refugees have resorted to stealing from host communities because they lack the skills to work and earn a living.
“There is not enough money coming in now, with wars all over the world. There’s the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and the situation just ending in Syria. Wars are everywhere, and refugees are being displaced everywhere.The support that has been allocated to refugee programmes globally has not increased, but the number of refugees seeking asylum in different countries has grown significantly,” Mr Onek said.
He added: “As a result, the budget for refugee programmes has become smaller and smaller. In Uganda, most refugees rely on the World Food Programme, which gives them just $3 a month to survive. Can you live on $3 a month for food and fuel? It’s impossible. Even $10 (Shs36,400) wouldn’t be enough to last a day, but they are expected to survive on this amount for an entire month. This is the harsh reality refugees are enduring.”
Uganda currently hosts more than 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers, straining the country’s resources as donor funding declines.
The minister explained that by the middle of next year, the country could reach 1.8 million refugees, noting that just four weeks ago the number was 1.6 million, and every day, about 100,000 refugees arrive from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
He made the statements at the launch of a five-year project for refugee settlements and organisations in the West Nile and Acholi sub-regions. The project has received a €7.4 million (approximately Shs28.3 billion) grant from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The project, ending in 2029, aims to enhance the capacity of local partners and enable direct funding to implement education and skills development, economic empowerment, and facilitate meaningful participation of refugees in the local, national, and international policy discussions.
Speaking during the launch of the project yesterday, Mr Julius Onen, the country representative of Wood Eb Dad, said they have selected 12 organisations for the project, each specialising in different areas to address the diverse needs of refugee communities. Some of these organisations focus on capacity building, helping youth acquire employable skills to promote self-reliance.
“We can plan better, avoid duplication, and ensure the resources we have are used efficiently. We also aim to align more closely with government policies because Uganda is one of the countries with the best refugee policies in the world,” he said.
Mr Onen added: “The little resources we receive should be used efficiently, and we should create synergies between what each one of us does. Some people are better at doing certain things than others, and we should work with those people without duplicating efforts.”
To address the current refugee crisis in the settlements, Mr Dickson Biryomumaisho, the executive director of the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation (TUNADO), which is one of the selected organisations, said they would empower refugees and host communities with beekeeping skills, allowing them to earn a living through honey harvesting.
“There is a high demand for honey and bee products, and beekeeping is a viable business for everyone. It requires little land, and we will support individuals in engaging in beekeeping and accessing both local and international markets,” he said.
Mr Biryomumaisho added: “We will also work on improving access to finance, as most refugees and host communities have limited opportunities to access funds. Yet, everyone needs finance to invest in businesses, such as farming.”
Hurdle.
...In Uganda, most refugees rely on the World Food Programme, which gives them just $3 a month to survive. Can you live on $3 a month for food and fuel? It’s impossible– Mr Hillary Onek, the minister for Relief, Disaster Management, and Refugees.
