Saudi Arabia donates food relief to 12,000 refugees in Nakivale
Over 12,000 refugees with special needs in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement received food relief items from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, in partnership with the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda.
The donation, consisting of 12,700 boxes of food, falls short of the required 56,000, but officials expressed gratitude for the support.
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Patrick Okello, Commissioner of the Refugees Office in the Prime Minister's Office, acknowledged the shortfall but appreciated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's gesture.
"We thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their support, and we are engaging them to see if they can provide more," Okello said.
He also cautioned refugees against selling the donated food items, which are clearly marked to identify misuse.
"We have sensitized refugees about the proper use of these relief items to ensure they serve their intended purpose. Anyone found selling the food will face consequences," Okello warned.
Paulin Abina, the Refugee Desk Officer for Southwestern Uganda, commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, highlighting the importance of the aid, especially for Congolese refugees who continue to experience significant challenges due to ongoing influxes.
"This selective assistance is particularly valuable for Congolese refugees, who account for a significant portion of the most vulnerable population here," Abina noted.
Alzaben Abdulrhman, a representative from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reiterated their commitment to supporting the refugees.
"We are pleased to assist the most vulnerable families with food for the next month and have instituted a team to supervise the distribution to ensure it reaches the intended beneficiaries," Abdulrhman stated.
He also thanked the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda and the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Preparedness for facilitating the donation.
Nakivale Refugee Settlement currently hosts around 190,000 refugees, including 56,000 with specific needs. However, only 12,000 have received food relief.
The donated items include salt, cooking oil, maize flour, beans, and soap, intended to sustain the recipients for a month.
