Government Launches The Settlement Transformation Agenda II
The Government of Uganda through the office of the Prime Minister has today launched the settlement Transformation Agenda II.
The Agenda is aimed at achieving self-reliance and local settlement for refugees and promoting social development in refugee-hosting communities.
Uganda hosts over 1.5 million refugees making it Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country. It’s also one of the five largest refugee-hosting countries in the world.
The unprecedented mass influx of refugees into the territory puts enormous pressure on the country’s basic service provision, in particular health and education services.
The government recently came up with a settlement transformation Agenda that seeks to explore opportunities that benefit refugees and their host communities.
According to Minister in Charge of Relief, Disaster preparedness and Refugees, Hillary Onek, this plan would help bridge the gap between humanitarian and development interventions.
Matthew Crentsil the UNHCR Representative confirms that it is not clear when the refugee influx will stop cease and even if it did, refugees are not to return to their home countries immediately. Their stay in Uganda is what the STA 2 is to sustain and achieve.
In response to the current crisis, Japan will focus on the concept of humanitarian development in which emergency humanitarian assistance and development cooperation will support the self-reliance of refugees and the economic development of host countries. In Uganda, Japan started with infrastructure development.
The Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Hon Esther Anyakuni emphasized that the Agenda does not come along with segregation or favoritism to refugees since they will also be paying taxes.
As of August 2022, Uganda continues to be Africa's largest refugee-hosting country with over 1.5 million refugees from South Sudan (60%), DRC (30%), and other countries (10%). About 94% of the refugees live in settlements alongside host communities located across 13 districts, while 6% live in urban areas mainly Kampala City.
Luke Alinaitwe
