Uganda Refugee Ban, Aid Cuts A Step in the Wrong Direction

Statement from Refugees International:

“Uganda’s announcement that it has stopped granting refugee status to new arrivals from Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea is a worrying step backwards. It is out of step with realities on the ground in those countries, and runs counter to Uganda’s proud tradition of refugee protection. Donor states must also take seriously that their aid cuts and their own restrictions on asylum access are now reverberating to countries like Uganda that collectively host the vast majority of the world’s refugees. The aid cuts put Uganda in a difficult position – but the answer should not be to restrict access to protection. 

Refugees International has worked in Somalia and Ethiopia and knows firsthand that many people face serious human rights abuses. We have interviewed Eritreans who have fled danger and have well-founded fears of persecution. A blanket refusal of asylum based solely on nationality violates the core principles of refugee law. Uganda has committed, under international and African regional instruments, to assess claims individually and not return people to places where they face serious harm. Shutting the door or refusing to grant refugee status are not solutions. New restrictions will leave Somalis, Ethiopians, and Eritreans in Uganda in legal limbo and will force new asylum seekers to turn to longer, more perilous routes, with predictable spikes in exploitation and abuse.

This troubling announcement must be placed in a broader context. Wealthier states have narrowed access to asylum and experimented with policies that externalize their protection responsibilities. The United States has signed an asylum agreement with Uganda in an effort to deport Somali and other asylum seekers there, even as cuts in U.S. aid have made it all the more difficult for Uganda’s asylum system to function and for recognized refugees to get the essential services they need. The United States and other countries of the global north are not only closing their borders and refusing to take responsibility for refugee protection, but also making it more difficult for other countries to do so and giving them cover to backslide. 

Uganda’s humane refugee policy and support for refugee self-reliance have earned it deserved praise for upholding access to rights such as freedom of movement and the right to work. Its policies have also benefited its own local economies, as refugees contribute their skills, knowledge, and expertise to host communities. Uganda’s leadership in this space has also been evident in climate policy, where the government has engaged directly with refugees on the decisions that shape their lives. Refugees International has worked alongside refugee leaders and Ugandan officials as they develop the National Adaptation Plan and prepare positions for global climate negotiations, helping to set an important regional precedent for refugee participation. 

It is important to note that the funding crisis confronting the Ugandan government is real. Kampala should not be left to manage nearly 2 million refugees on a shrinking aid budget. Donor governments that have spent years praising Uganda’s constructive refugee policies must now match their words with support for both refugees and host communities.” 

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Sarah Sheffer at ssheffer@refugeesinternational.org.