UNHCR: Refugee crisis in Uganda worsening amid increased conflicts

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that the refugee crisis in Uganda is worsening amid increased conflicts and reduced international financing of refugee affairs.

The world commemorates the annual World Refugee Day on June 20 amid mounting concerns about the increasing number of refugees seeking safety outside and within their borders.

There are 100 million refugees and asylum seekers around the world, as well as 53.2 million internally displaced persons who need protection and humanitarian assistance.

This year’s theme called for asylum seekers and refugees to have the “Right to seek safety. whoever. wherever. whenever.”

Esther Anyakun, the minister of state for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees said Uganda has fully embraced this principle by keeping its borders open and receiving 62,000 women, men, girls, and boys who have fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan since the start of the year.

"Uganda continues to be a haven of safety and security for thousands of people fleeing conflict in the region, but we clearly need the international community to play its rightful role in meeting its international obligation of burden-sharing to enable us to shoulder the growing needs of refugees and host communities," she said.

She explained that the growing refugee population serves as a reminder that we must find long-term solutions to the world's conflicts and assist countries grappling with the refugee crisis.

"The refugee response in Uganda remains critically underfunded and its open-door policy, which is one of the most progressive in the world, that permits refugees to work, cultivate the land, and move around freely, is under threat," she said.

On March 28 2022, fresh fighting broke out in Eastern Congo causing a massive displacement of people seeking safety across the border in Uganda. Since then, over 30,000 people have been received at the Nyakabande transit and holding center in Kisoro district, in southwestern Uganda.

The influx has overstretched the government and the ability of other refugee response partners to meet the increased needs.

Thousands of refugees and asylum seekers are being left without adequate lifesaving assistance due to insufficient financial and material support available, despite partners stepping up their efforts to respond.

At least 1.5 million refugees and asylum-seekers in Uganda are hosted in settlements located in 13 districts. This number is expected to continue to rise considering the instability in the region.

Jean-Christophe Saint-Esteben, the Chairperson of the Refugee NGO Forum said current funding levels are not sufficient to meet existing humanitarian needs in Uganda

"Uganda urgently needs more support from the international community in order to ensure that it remains one of the world’s best-practice refugee response countries. We simply cannot allow Uganda to become a forgotten crisis," he said.