KAMPALA, UGANDA — State Minister for Foreign Affairs Haruna Kasolo has called on the European Union (EU) to strengthen burden-sharing support as Uganda faces a growing funding shortfall in its refugee response.
Kasolo said the decline in international humanitarian assistance is placing increasing pressure on Uganda’s capacity to provide essential services and support to refugees and host communities.
Despite the funding challenges, the minister reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to its long-standing open-door refugee policy, which allows refugees fleeing conflict and persecution to seek protection and access to services in the country.
Kasolo stressed the need for stronger international responsibility-sharing, noting that Uganda cannot sustainably shoulder the growing demands of refugee hosting alone amid declining humanitarian resources.
He said Uganda is also exploring alternative and longer-term approaches to refugee management that can reduce dependence on emergency humanitarian assistance while promoting self-reliance and resilience among refugee communities.
Jan Sadek, Head of the European Union Delegation to Uganda, reiterated the EU’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s refugee response, with greater emphasis on sustainable livelihoods and longer-term solutions.
Sadek said the shift toward livelihood-based interventions is intended to help refugees become more self-reliant while also supporting the communities that host them.
The discussions come as Uganda continues to host a large refugee population, making sustained international cooperation and predictable financing important to the country’s efforts to maintain its refugee protection framework.
The government has continued to call for stronger global responsibility-sharing, particularly as humanitarian agencies face funding constraints that threaten the continuity of programmes supporting refugees and host communities.
