KAMPALA: The Government through the Office of the Prime (OPM) has urged refugees to return to their countries as humanitarian funding declines.
Speaking at the opening of the Japan-OPM regional knowledge- sharing workshop on refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Kampala on Thursday, Samuel Engola, Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees said Uganda is operating at less than 50% of the required budget, yet the number of refugees is increasing.
While Uganda is among the countries affected by the Donald Trump 2025 administration’s executive order on foreign aid, it is hosting over 2 million refugees and currently faces challenges in maintaining the refugees.
Mr.Engola said at least 17,458 refugees have voluntarily registered to return to Burundi, urging others to use this opportunity of voluntary repatriation for the safe and sustainable return of refugees to their home countries.
He, however, said Uganda is still receiving refugees from war-affected countries.
Mr. Engola added that many refugees face significant challenges like food shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and limited access to livelihood opportunities, among others.
“The way forward is for the refugees to go back to their homes. Like the Burundians,17,000 have gone back on their own, the new ones who are coming because the refugee is somebody who has run away from his country because of war and you can’t force somebody to die. So that’s why Uganda is very hospitable, welcoming them and receiving them,” Mr Engola said.
Meanwhile, the JICA Chief Representative Osaki Mitushiro says the workshop marks the beginning of the knowledge sharing, mutual learning and action planning through the Project on the Promotion of HDP Nexus in Refugee and IDP Response in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa.
