By Gladys Nanyombi
The government of Japan has contributed US9.8 million to support efforts towards refugees and host communities, boarder security, as well as Covid- 19 responses in Uganda.
The Ambassador of Japan to Uganda Hidemoto Fukuzawa announced the contribution of 9.8 million USD to contribute on mitigating the impacts of covid-19 to the vulnerable population including refugees.
“Japan recognizes that the humanitarian situation in refugee-hosting areas is devastating especially under the spread of covid-19, therefore, the 2021 contribution has been made with a specific focus on mitigating the impact of the covid-29 to the vulnerable population including refugees, host community members, women and children in Uganda”, said Fukuzawa.
Japan has contributed 35 USD approximately 127 Billion Uganda shillings to Uganda by utilizing the supplementary budget to provide humanitarian support and emergency response.
Addressing the media in Kampala, Minister of Relief Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hilary Onek appreciated Japan’s for their endless support to Uganda and also asked them to contribute to the construction of good roads to refugee camps.
Onek said that the population of refugees is 1470858 individuals and the number continues to grow even with the restrictions on registration of new arrivals because of the new birth registration and the registration of persons who arrived before the lockdown in March 2020 that has since resumed in most settlements especially in the west Nile.
“The refugee problem remains an international responsibility and the Government has done its part by offering a conducive environment for the reception and delivery of humanitarian assistance to refugees and expects UNHCR and international community to support government and refugees in the spirit of international solidarity and burden sharing ”.Onek said
He noticed that some refugees are being repatriated back to their countries once they are in stable conditions.
