Kampala, Uganda: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency received EUR 2.2 million from the Federal Republic of Germany to
support refugees and host communities in Uganda.
Between 2021 and 2024, this contribution will enable UNHCR to provide refugees and host communities in Uganda with much-needed assistance,
with a focus on strengthening health care, water, hygiene and sanitation as well as education services across the response. This is part of Germany’s EUR 14 million contribution to UNHCR to support the forcibly displaced and their host communities within the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region, over the four-year period.
Germany remains a major donor to Uganda’s refugee response. In addition to providing direct funding to UNHCR, between 2016-2021, the German Government contributed over EUR 37 million to Uganda’s Refugee Response Plan as part of its multifaceted support to strengthen integrated health care, water, hygiene and sanitation and education services across Uganda’s refugee hosting districts.
Home to nearly 1.5 million refugees, Uganda is the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa and serves as a role model worldwide for the implementation of the Comprehensive Refugee Response
Framework (CRRF) and the Global Compact on Refugees – a blueprint that calls for greater support for refugees and the countries and communities that welcome them.
The German Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Hans von Schroeder, said “the German Government remains committed to support Uganda’s refugee response in the future. Uganda’s inclusive approach
allows us to support both refugees and their host communities. The Coronavirus pandemic has dramatically exacerbated the challenges in the host communities – Germany’s latest contribution will
help to ease the pressure.”
Uganda’s progressive refugee model enables refugees to access social and community services likebUgandan citizens and improves access and quality of services for refugees and their hosts across the refugee hosting districts.
However, resources for the refugee response have been insufficient to
address the increasing needs of a growing population. The outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020 and the lockdown measures to contain its spread posed additional challenges, exacerbating an already dire situation.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has had significant impact on refugee lives, their means to earning income as well as education, putting vulnerable populations in an even more dire situation,” said Joel Boutroue, the UNHCR Representative to Uganda.
“Germany’s contribution is critical to ensure that immediate needs can be addressed and that hard-won gains towards finding durable solutions for refugees and their host communities are protected and enhanced.”
The donation from the the Federal Republic of Germany will enable UNHCR to continue strengthening delivery of health care and education services and provision of water in refugee settlements and surrounding areas in collaboration with the relevant Government ministries.
Since the launch of the CRRF in 2017, the Government of Uganda has included refugees in the national development plans and endorsed sector plans to improve delivery of social services in refugee-hosting areas such as education, health, water and environment, as well as jobs and livelihoods.
Sustained support from the international community is needed to ease pressure on local communities and further strengthen service delivery as the refugee population continues to grow.
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