The Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Hilary Onek, has stated that the Ugandan government will no longer grant refugee status to citizens from countries that are not experiencing war, citing dwindling donor support amid a steady influx of refugees into the country.
Speaking during the official handover of 2,544 metric tonnes of rice worth USD 2.9 million (Shs 10.5 billion) donated to the World Food Programme (WFP) by the Government of Korea at the WEP warehouse in Gulu, Onek said the directive applies particularly to citizens of Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
“I have instructed our officers not to give refugee status to citizens coming from those countries because there is no war there,” he said.
He clarified that the government would not reverse refugee status for those who have already been granted it but would not accept new arrivals from the countries in question.
The rice donation is expected to feed 600,000 refugees in 13 settlements and 200,000 schoolchildren in the food-insecure Karamoja Sub-region for one year.
Onek further explained that Uganda is actively engaging with governments of countries at war to encourage peace and security, allowing refugees to return to their home countries.
“We are in discussion with those governments, although those with many factions look at Uganda as though we are interfering. But we have not given up because they have to come to terms, have some tolerance, and enable their citizens to go back,” he said.
Onek highlighted that Uganda’s refugee population is now approaching two million, with 100 to 200 new refugees arriving daily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and continuing inflows from South Sudan despite relative stability.
“We wish the government there tolerates their political opposition so that they can agree to work together and let their people go back home,” he said.
While Uganda’s refugee policy remains friendly, allowing refugees to work, trade, enjoy freedom of movement, and access services enjoyed by citizens, Onek stressed that the system places a heavy economic burden on the country. Uganda spends approximately Shs 2 billion annually on refugee-related needs.
He further explained that Uganda’s support from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has drastically declined.
“Uganda used to get USD 240 million (Shs 866 billion) per year from UNHCR, but with an increased refugee population of almost two million people, we now get less than USD 100 million (Shs 361 billion). This year, they received only USD 18 million (Shs 65 billion). The situation is dire, and it is our people who shoulder those costs,” he said.
WFP Country Director Lauren Landis noted that the cuts in aid have worsened food insecurity, causing families to skip meals, rising malnutrition, and school dropouts.
She said the Korean rice donation will strengthen the homegrown school feeding programme in Karamoja, which serves 255,000 children in 320 schools across nine districts.
“This is critical in a region where one in four children suffers from chronic malnutrition,”Landis said.
The Ambassador of Korea to Uganda, Park Sung-Soo, said his country’s own experience of struggle and recovery shaped its commitment to vulnerable communities.
“Korea is proud to deliver 2,544 metric tonnes of Korean rice to support refugees across Uganda and schoolchildren in Karamoja. We hope today’s contribution, delivered during a period of serious funding gaps, will help meet urgent needs and support Uganda’s continued leadership in humanitarian and refugee response,” he said.
Ambassador Park also commended Uganda’s open-door refugee policy, noting that such efforts strengthen both refugee welfare and regional stability.