Uganda appeals to European Union for funds
CAPTION: Deputy Speaker Tayebwa (right) exchanges gifts with Members of the European Parliament, Hon. Tineke Strik and Hon. Anna Strolenberg on Monday, 21 September 2026. (Courtesy Photo).
By Our report
KAMPALA – The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has called on the European Union to increase funding for Uganda’s refugee response, warning that declining humanitarian support is placing growing pressure on public services and communities hosting more than two million refugees and asylum-seekers.
Tayebwa made the appeal while meeting Members of the European Parliament, Hon. Tineke Strik and Hon. Anna Strolenberg, visiting the country to understand the country’s refugee policies and explore ways of strengthening cooperation between Uganda and the EU on refugee management.
The meeting was held at Parliament Building on Monday, 21 September 2026.
Uganda’s 2026 refugee response plan requires about $850 million, but only 12 per cent of the required funding has so far been provided by international partners, according to figures cited by Tayebwa.
He said the funding shortfall is increasingly affecting the government’s ability to provide services to refugees and the Ugandan communities that host them.
“All this is happening at a time when there is a decline in funding,” Tayebwa said.
He said the pressure is being felt within government institutions responsible for refugee management, particularly the Office of the Prime Minister, as well as in health and education services in refugee-hosting communities.
Tayebwa said there has been a reduction in the number of teachers and health workers previously supported through funding from international partners, while staffing levels in the Department of Refugees under the Office of the Prime Minister have also come under pressure.
“From our assessment, the current humanitarian funding model is no longer sufficient. Without alternative financing, pressure will overwhelm the government and host communities,” he said.
Despite the financial constraints, Tayebwa said Uganda would continue to receive people fleeing conflict, describing the country’s refugee policy as rooted in its humanitarian values.
“These people are helpless; they are vulnerable,” he said. “We struggle to provide for these refugees, but we are not struggling with the spirit of humanity to welcome them,” he said.
Most of the two million refugees and asylum-seekers in Uganda are women and children, with the largest numbers originating from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tayebwa also urged the EU to address the conflicts driving displacement rather than focusing only on humanitarian assistance after people have crossed into Uganda.
He warned that failure to provide refugees with adequate support and opportunities to rebuild their lives could expose some to exploitation, trafficking and recruitment by armed groups.
“If Uganda cannot help these people settle, they are the people who will join Al-Shabaab, these are the people who will be trafficked to Europe,” he said.
Tayebwa said the refugee crisis also presented an opportunity for Africa and Europe to strengthen their partnership at a time when multilateral cooperation is facing challenges.
“At the time when multilateralism is dying and the global political arena is unpredictable, this is the time for Africa and Europe to strengthen their relationship,” he said, adding that “The relationship between the EU and Africa is dependable. This is the right time for the EU to strengthen and cement its relationship with Africa.”
He thanked the EU for its contribution to Uganda’s refugee response, describing the bloc as a dependable partner.
The EU has allocated €20.7 million in humanitarian assistance to Uganda in 2026, following €23.9 million in 2025. It says it has provided more than €194 million in humanitarian funding to Uganda since 2021.
Speaking during the meeting, Strik acknowledged Uganda’s role in hosting refugees and said European countries could learn from Uganda’s approach to receiving people fleeing conflict.
“The EU and also the Netherlands can take Uganda as an example of hospitality,” Strik said.
She also acknowledged the funding challenge facing refugee-hosting countries and called for continued international support.
“I think we also need to address the issue of funding,” she said adding that, “International partners should not leave Uganda alone.”
