The State Minister in charge of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Lilian Aber, has expressed Uganda’s gratitude to the Netherlands for its continued support towards the country’s refugee response efforts.
Aber met Bouwe-Jan Smeding, the Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kampala, to discuss ongoing collaboration and areas of mutual interest.
During the meeting, Aber appreciated the Netherlands for its strong partnership, particularly through the PROSPECTS programme and its commitment to localization.
“We expressed our sincere appreciation for their strong partnership, particularly through the PROSPECTS programme and their commitment to localization,” Aber said.
The Netherlands has fulfilled more than $66 million of its Global Refugee Forum pledge and continues to support Uganda’s refugee response in critical sectors including education, economic inclusion, social protection, infrastructure development, and access to justice.
Aber noted that the support is making a tangible impact on both refugees and host communities across the country. Uganda currently hosts more than 1.6 million refugees, mainly from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, making it one of the largest refugee-hosting nations globally.
However, the minister highlighted funding challenges facing the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) Secretariat, stressing that sustained and predictable financing is essential for effective implementation of refugee programmes.
She also commended the Netherlands for championing the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus approach, which integrates emergency assistance with long-term development and peacebuilding efforts.
The meeting underscored the continued cooperation between Uganda and the Netherlands in advancing durable solutions for refugees and strengthening support to host communities.
