CATASTROPHIC FUNDING CUTS THREATEN LIVES IN UGANDA'S REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS: URGENT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDED NOW - NEWS RELEASE JUNE 12, 2025

KAMPALA, UGANDA – A severe and escalating humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Uganda's refugee settlements, pushing nearly 2 million vulnerable individuals to the brink of survival. Drastic cutbacks in spending and aid by critical international organizations, including the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) and the World Food Programme (WFP), have created a desperate situation characterized by severe food insecurity, acute malnutrition, and a dramatic decline in essential services. Without immediate and substantial funding, countless lives are at imminent risk.

Uganda, a beacon of hospitality with Africa's largest refugee population, currently hosts over 1.9 million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and increasingly, Sudan. Despite Uganda's progressive "open-door" policy, the sheer volume of new arrivals, coupled with devastating aid reductions, has overwhelmed the system, pushing it to breaking point.

Reports from the ground paint a grim picture:

• Starvation Looms: The World Food Programme has been forced to dramatically reduce food assistance, with rations for many refugees slashed to a mere 22% of the recommended daily intake. As of May 2025, WFP had to reduce the number of refugees it supports to 663,000, leaving close to one million refugees cut off from vital aid. This has led to a alarming spike in acute malnutrition rates, reaching as high as 21.5% among newly arriving refugees – well above the emergency threshold. Tragic reports indicate child deaths due to malnutrition.

• Services Decimated: Beyond food, funding cuts have severely impacted access to basic necessities. Critical sectors like protection and health and nutrition have seen drastic funding reductions (68% and 61% respectively in Q1 2025 alone). Health centers are closing, hundreds of health workers and early childhood caregivers have been laid off, and access to clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and education is severely compromised. Overcrowded reception centers are operating at 500% capacity, creating ripe conditions for disease outbreaks.

• Rising and Conflict: The desperate search for food and resources is forcing refugees to resort to negative coping mechanisms, including reducing meals, selling assets, child labor, and even prostitution. This desperate situation is also fueling tensions and conflicts between refugees and host communities, who are also facing strained resources.

• Persistent Influx: The instability in neighboring countries continues to drive new waves of refugees into Uganda. Between January and mid-June 2025 alone, approximately 66,800 new refugees from eastern DRC arrived, further straining already overstretched resources.

"The situation in Uganda's refugee settlements is a silent catastrophe unfolding before our eyes," states Terry MacDonald at HEM Africa. "Years of gradual funding reductions have culminated in an acute crisis. We are seeing families, who have already lost everything, now face the unimaginable prospect of starvation and preventable diseases. The international community's attention has been diverted, but the needs on the ground are more urgent than ever."

The current funding for Uganda's Country Refugee Response Plan for the first quarter of 2025 stood at a paltry 9%, a 26% drop compared to the previous year. This severe underfunding directly translates into human suffering and a deepening crisis that threatens to destabilize an entire region.

We urgently call upon international donors, governments, churches, and humanitarian partners to take immediate take action to provide emergency funding to address this critical shortfall. The lives of nearly 2 million refugees depend on it. This is not just a plea for aid; it is a moral imperative to uphold the dignity and basic human rights of those displaced by conflict and persecution.  We also urge people of faith to pray for swift humanitarian relief for vulnerable refugees around the world.

Specific Needs Include:

• Immediate replenishment of food aid to restore full rations for all refugees.

• Funding for essential health services, including medicines, medical staff, and disease prevention programs.

• Investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

• Support for protection services, especially for women and children who are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation and violence.

• Resources for education, to ensure children do not lose their future amidst this crisis.

"The time for action is now. We cannot stand by as the most vulnerable among us face unimaginable hardship," adds Terry MacDonald "The world must re-engage with the crisis in Uganda and provide the urgent assistance needed to avert a complete humanitarian disaster."

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Contact: HEM AFRICA, Terry MacDonald, Technical Advisor

     Email: Hithereterry@HEMAfrica.org  Phone:  +1306546 8357  Website: HEMAfrica.org