Uganda in partnership with the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the East African Community (EAC) are set to host a High-Level Ministerial Conference on Durable Solutions for Refugees.
Through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), a Conference will be held between 13 and 16 June 2023, at the Speke Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, Kampala.
According to Esther Davinia Anyakun, the Minister of State for Refugees the conference is aimed at enhancing a coordinated regional approach to the refugee situation in the East, and the Horn and Great Lakes Region of Africa.
“The dialogue will focus on regional protection and solutions for refugees and host communities and explore ways to mitigate and address the drivers of displacement across the East and Horn of Africa region,” she said.
Currently, the region hosts over five million refugees and asylum seekers as well as 12 million internally displaced people by May 2023. Uganda hosts 1.5 million refugees. It is the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa
The Ministerial Conference is expected to produce a Ministerial Declaration and a common IGAD pledge that will inform the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) 2023 scheduled to take place in Geneva between 13 and15 December 2023.
She said IGAD-EAC Ministerial Conference on Durable Solutions for Refugees is one of the events Government and partners have organised to shape their positions and pledges to be presented in Geneva in December 2023
Uganda will co-convene the 2023 GRF together with Columbia, Niger, France, Japan, and Jordan. The co-convenorship is recognition of Uganda’s championing role in implementing the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework.
She said Uganda has identified five areas that will be highlighted at the GRF – Livelihoods, environment and energy, transition management, localization, and durable solutions.
