Kampala, December 30, 2022: The European Union has provided an additional EUR 1.5 million (about Shs5.8 billion) contribution to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support DR Congo refugees in Uganda.
In a statement dated December 30, 2022, the UN agency said as refugees from DRC continue to flee violence crossing into Uganda, the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) has increased its support to UNHCR.
It said the EU’s contribution will allow UNHCR to support the reception and registration of 60,000 refugees in transit centres prior to their relocation to the reception settlements where they can access protection and national services.
EU emergency support will also contribute to securing the new arrivals’ access to wash and health services in both transit and reception centres and reception settlements.
“We cannot thank the European Union enough for this timely contribution to the emergency appeal. The contribution will save lives by addressing the critical needs of thousands of Congolese refugees fleeing war and violence in Eastern DRC,” said Matthew Crentsil, the UNHCR representative for Uganda.
He added: “The European Union is a long-standing partner of UNHCR globally and one of Uganda’s greatest supporters of the refugee response. We shall need more support: the needs are pressing.”
He said it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Uganda UNHCR operation to maintain emergency support to a growing number of new arrivals while maintaining essential services for over 1.4 million refugees in 13 hosting districts.
“The Ugandan government has been very generous in hosting the largest refugee population in Africa,” said Bruno Rotival, head of ECHO’s office in Kampala.
“With partners such as UNHCR, the EU is helping to address the needs of the refugees when they come across the border and when they are being hosted in the resettlement sites such as access to water, protection services, primary health services and education.”
From April 2021 to December 2022, echo provided euro14.4m to UNHCR to support refugees’ access to protection, health and WASH services in Uganda.
Uganda currently hosts 1,460,520 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan and DRC.
“The government of Uganda appreciates the continuous support that is being provided by the European Union. Uganda remains the largest refugee-hosting African country despite being critically underfunded and needs more international support,” said Hon Esther Anyakun Davinia, the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees.
Since January 2022, Uganda has received a total of 129,580 new arrivals from the two countries (87,567 from DRC and 42,013 from South Sudan) as of November 17, 2022.