The Government of Japan has contributed a total of US$ 6.3 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support refugees and host communities in Uganda over a period of one year from April 2017 to March 2018.
The official announcement was made by the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Kazuaki Kameda and the Minister of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Refugees, Hon. Hillary Onek, during a press conference held at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala. The UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Rosa Malango, UNHCR Representative Mr. Bornwell Kantande, and WFP Representative Mr. El Khidir Daloum were also present at the conference.
This generous contribution by the Government of Japan will provide the much needed assistance to refugees and host communities, focusing on health; water, sanitation and hygiene; food assistance; and livelihoods. UN agencies will collaborate with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other partners to strengthen the humanitarian and development nexus by addressing the immediate needs as well as managing future shocks using a more integrated development approach.
This partnership is a part of an effort to implement the Refugee and Host Population Empowerment (ReHoPE) strategy, a transformative strategy which brings together a wide range of partners including the Government of Uganda, UN agencies, World Bank, development partners and the private sector in order to enhance self-reliance and resilience of refugees and host communities in Uganda. ReHoPE is an integral component of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and is in line with the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants.
Uganda has become the largest refugee hosting country in Africa with more than one million refugees and asylum seekers. Since the escalation of conflict in South Sudan in July 2016, a total of 674,033 new refugees arrived in Uganda. It is anticipated that a further 400,000 refugees will arrive by the end of 2017. Uganda’s refugee laws and policies are among the most progressive in the world. Refugees and asylum seekers are entitled to work, have freedom of movement and can access social services.
