Refugees, Karamoja to benefit from sh280b US aid

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Uganda has outlined how it will allocate the newly announced $75 million (about shillings 280 billion) US humanitarian funding, with the bulk directed toward refugee support and a smaller share targeting the drought-hit Karamoja sub-region.

Relief and disaster preparedness state minister Lillian Aber welcomed the support but warned that it falls far short of the country’s growing needs.

Aber told New Vision Online that of the $75 million, $68 million of the funding will go into refugee response programmes, while $7 million has been earmarked for emergency interventions in Karamoja, where prolonged drought has pushed malnutrition rates to alarming levels.

The funding, announced on April 30, will be channelled through the Eastern and Southern Africa Humanitarian Fund and managed by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), meaning it will not be disbursed directly to the Government.

The contribution comes at a critical time, with nearly two million refugees and host communities facing worsening food insecurity, malnutrition and limited access to basic services.

“On behalf of the humanitarian community in Uganda, I would like to thank the people and government of the United States for this significant contribution. The life-saving needs are very high, and this support will go a long way in addressing the most urgent challenges,” United Nations Resident Coordinator to Uganda Leonard Zulu said in a statement.

Aber said the refugee allocation will prioritise critical sectors, including food assistance, healthcare, shelter, protection and water and sanitation services.

“The funds will support protection, WASH, shelter, health, nutrition and food security, which are currently under immense pressure,” Aber told New Vision Online in a phone Interview, noting that food aid remains the most urgent need.

Karamoja’s share of the funding will focus on scaling up nutrition and health interventions, particularly for children, as the region battles high levels of acute malnutrition linked to repeated drought.

Uganda hosts nearly two million refugees, the largest number in Africa, with continued arrivals from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo placing additional strain on already stretched services. At the same time, aid agencies are grappling with funding cuts that have forced reductions in food rations and the scaling back of essential programmes.

Funding gap

Despite the fresh US support, officials caution that the funding will only cover humanitarian needs for about six months, highlighting the scale of the financing gap.

“Feeding is the most challenging area at the moment. We are seeing reduced support from key partners, and yet the needs continue to rise. All sectors require urgent intervention,” Aber said.

The Government is now calling on other international donors to step in, warning that the current resources are insufficient to sustain Uganda’s refugee response and emergency operations.

Gender labour and social development state minister Esther Davinia Anyakun, who has worked with humanitarian aid sector, said Uganda will continue to implement its open-door refugee policy, which includes allocating land to refugees to support self-reliance through farming.

“Every refugee is given land for settlement and cultivation so they can sustain themselves over time,” she said.

However, the Government acknowledged that the model is increasingly under strain due to limited funding. As of early 2025, the Uganda Country Refugee Response Plan was only nine per cent funded, leaving significant gaps in food security, health and education services.

Recent data from the United Nations shows the scale of the crisis, with 65 per cent of refugees lacking sufficient food, more than 70 per cent of households reducing daily meals, and one in four families withdrawing children from school. Acute malnutrition among children under five has also risen sharply.

The new funding is expected to help stabilise the most urgent needs in the short term, but aid agencies warn that without sustained and increased support, humanitarian conditions could worsen in the months ahead.