from HASSAN ONYANGO in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda Bureau
KAMPALA, (CAJ News) – UGANDA, home to the largest number of refugees in Africa, is bearing the brunt of the ceaseless conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
Thousands of Congolese and Sudanese have in recent years fled to the East African country, which apparently is paying the price for its reputation as an example of how the inclusion of refugees into public services improves their lives and those of the communities hosting them.
“I am consistently impressed by the generosity of the Ugandan people and the refugee policies of the Government,” Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said this week on an official visit to Uganda.
However, he said, the world should not take Uganda’s generosity and the global public good it provides for granted.
“Services here are overstretched,” Grandi said.
“Natural resources are limited, and financial support is not keeping pace with the needs.”
Uganda offers refuge to over 1,7 million people mainly fleeing the DRC, Sudan and South Sudan, amid the number growing.
“The approximately 10 000 new arrivals entering the country each month place further strain on communities, making peaceful coexistence a challenge,” Grandi warned.
He urged donors, humanitarian partners, development actors and the private sector to come together with the government to address the needs of refugees and the generous communities hosting them.
This would be in line with the pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum in December 2023.
“Uganda cannot do it alone. A collective response is needed for this inclusive model to be truly sustainable,” Grandi said.
– CAJ News