Uganda is now facing the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis, due to a continuous and unprecedented influx of people fleeing conflict in neighbouring South Sudan among others. The country is now hosting over 1.27 million refugees and asylum seekers.
“To help Uganda deal with this unprecedented situation and support the most vulnerable refugees, the European Commission has today announced €85 million in humanitarian assistance. Many refugees have fled conflict in South Sudan, seeking sanctuary from violence, hatred and hunger. Uganda’s example of helping vulnerable people cope with displacement is an example for the whole region and the world. However, no country can deal with such a high number of refugees on its own. The EU funding announced today will help our humanitarian partners working in Uganda bring some relief to those who have lost everything,” Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.
The announcement comes as Commissioner Stylianides attends the Uganda Solidarity Summit on refugees taking place in Kampala on 22 and 23 June, on behalf of the European Commission.
Nearly €65 million of the funding are aimed to respond to the most pressing humanitarian needs in the areas of food assistance, protection, shelter, provision of water and sanitation, resilience-building and education.
The European Commission plans to allocate a further €20 million in development aid through the EU Trust Fund for Africa. This funding aims to increase both the self-reliance of refugees and the socio-economic development of their hosting communities in Northern Uganda, further integrating refugees into the local economy in the medium to long-term.
Source: EUECHO. Read full article here.
22 June, 2017
