Kampala: Since the start of 2025, Uganda has seen a significant influx of refugees, with approximately 600 new arrivals each day, pushing the total to nearly two million. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has raised concerns about the dwindling funding, which threatens the East African nation's ability to continue providing essential services and aid to the refugees.
According to EMM, Uganda's welcoming refugee policy allows refugees to work and access public services, making it the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa due to its geographic proximity to crisis regions. However, emergency funding is set to run out in September, posing dire consequences for the refugees. Dominique Hyde, UNHCR's director for external relations, emphasized the urgent need for global support to prevent increased malnutrition, sexual violence, and lack of shelter among the refugee population.
Many refugees, including a significant number of children, rely on the aid provided by UNHCR and the Ugandan government. During a visit to refugee camps, Hyde encountered a 16-year-old girl from South Sudan who is now the sole caregiver for her four younger siblings after losing her parents. Hyde noted that the girl's dream of returning to school is overshadowed by the struggle for survival. With only 25 percent of the necessary funding secured, the aid is rapidly depleting, threatening the sustainability of Uganda's progressive model of refugee support. Hyde stressed that while Uganda has offered its resources, the international community must step up to assist.