Uganda has threatened to end its progressive policy for refugee management over limited financial support from humanitarian aid agencies and countries where the refugees come from.
Uganda’s progressive policy has been praised as one of the best global refugee management models as it entitles a refugee to work, have freedom of movement, and can access social services such as health and education.
The minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Hillary Onek Obaloker however says the country isn’t receiving the resources that match the progressive model yet its hosting the highest numbers of refugees. Onek says if the government doesn’t get the needed support, it may be obliged to change its policy and pass out stringent measures on who can qualify for refugee status in the country.
“Uganda will be a co-covener of the global refugee forum in this December 2023 in Geneva. And as we saw in the case of Amoro [district], we shall also call for matching resources to this model. If the world, the globe doesn’t support us, we might be obliged to change our policy and make it [more] difficult,” said Onek.
He notes that the country’s Refugee Response Plan for 2022, which combines both humanitarian and development was funded by only 60 percent, which isn’t enough to sustain the high number of refugees. For instance, he notes that refugees in the country only receive about three dollars a month compared to other regions like Europe where funding to refugees is adequate.
“The Uganda humanitarian response plan which contains both humanitarian and development was last year only funded at about 60 per cent. Resources for both humanitarian and development translate to less than one dollar per day per refugee. In fact, the figure below the poverty level is defined by the UN. Actually, our refugees in Uganda today receive only 3 dollars per month and these people are really suffering because the agency that should be giving them support is bankrupt, they don’t have money. Our refugees are living on 10 American cents per day. What can you buy with 10 American cents?” added Onek.
The minister made the statements on Tuesday during the celebration to mark World Refugee Day at Paluda secondary school in Palabek Refugee Settlement in Lamwo district, which is home to some 79,000 refugees mostly from South Sudan. The national event was celebrated under the theme “Hope Away from Home”.
According to Onek, it’s high time for all the countries under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) from where the refugees flee to take responsibility for their citizens in Uganda.
“We have all agreed, we must take responsibility. The major thing they talk about is peace in their countries. Peace should be managed by their government is a matter of sacrifice, really. How come, Uganda here with a multi-ethnic grouping here…we have all agreed to be together. But what is difficult in those countries that are practicing nepotism, tribalism to kill themselves. Why can’t they tolerate each other?” he said.
He explained that the country is facing huge challenges in social service provision for refugees and declining tree covers owing to the large numbers of refugees it’s hosting. Last week, ministers responsible for refugee affairs from IGAD countries and partner states of the East African Community (EAC) signed the Munyonyo Declaration on Durable Solutions for Refugees in the East and Horn of Africa.
The declaration addresses among others issues of Government-led whole-of-society approaches; socioeconomic inclusion, return and reintegration, resettlement, local integration, partnership, burden, and responsibility sharing. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Country Representative for Uganda Mathew Crentsil acknowledged that the aid agency is facing financial challenges which have affected its funding for refugee situations.
He however says it would be catastrophic for the country to change its open-door policy for refugees given its numerous advantages for those fleeing from violence. According to Crentsil, the aid agency with support from the government is embarking on innovative approaches to empower refugees away from the care and maintenance approach but notes that it takes the intervention of other nontraditional donors.
“All efforts are being put in place to ensure that due attention is drawn to this issue and that we receive the support that is required. Second, we’re also embarking on innovative approaches to do things differently. You heard across the many remarks that were made today that we cannot continue operating the same way and expect different results. That is why UNHCR with the support of government are shifting emphasis from care maintenance type of situation to a situation whereby the refugees will be empowered. We’re calling on the engagement of the private sector,” said Crentsil.
John Bosco Kyaligonza, the acting refugee desk officer for Lamwo district says amid the dwindling funding, the government and aid agency should refocus their interventions from relief assistance to skill development. He says skilling refugees will help them in becoming self-sustainable away from depending on handouts from aid agencies and the government.
“Amidst the dwindling resources internationally in the way we deliver services is declining. So I think we need to focus on interventions that will revive hope among refugees. In other words, I’m calling on all actors in Lamwo…to focus on interventions that will build the resilience of the refugees and host community so that they are able to give services that we’re not able to give. In other words, we refocus our interventions from relief assistance to development. We need to equip these refugees and host communities with skills that will enable them to work for themselves,” said Kyaligonza.
For the last three years, UNHCR has hardly raised 47 per cent of its yearly budgets amidst an increasing number of refugees in the country and across the world. Equally, the World Food Programme since 2020 reduced food rations to refugees in Uganda by 40 per cent, 60 per cent, and 70 per cent in different settlements over limited findings, a situation that saw an exodus of refugees to other countries.
Uganda is home to some 1.5 million refugees, the biggest in Africa and the third highest in the world the majority of whom are from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Observer
