The Japanese Government has donated 7.9 million US Dollars (29.5 billion Shillings) to support refugees and improve food security in the Karamoja sub-region.
The donation has been channeled through five United Nations organizations which include United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR), World Food Program (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Women (UN Women), and United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
The Japanese Ambassador to Uganda Fukazawa Hidemoto said that the global food system has been affected by the Ukraine war leading to the vulnerability of the food and nutrition system in Uganda.
Hidemoto said that Japan is attempting not to only support the refugees and host communities but also to access affordable, safe, and nutritious food for all the people.The one-year fund will benefit the districts of Adjumani, Karamoja, Kisoro, and Isingiro.
Hilary Onek the Minister for Relief Disaster Preparedness and Refugees said that Uganda is in much need of humanitarian development support for the refugees and the people of Karamoja.Onek added that Karamoja is also severely faced with the problem of climate change which needs continuous mitigation measures and relief.
He adds that when refugees come to Uganda the government makes sure that they are safe and their welfare is taken care of with support from donations from countries.
Munir Safieldin, the UNICEF representative to Uganda says that the agency has received 1.2 Million Dollars which will be used in life-saving interventions targeting children with severe acute malnutrition through integrated health nutrition and child protection activities of the districts of the Karamoja sub-region.
He also said that the donation will benefit pregnant and lactating women and children under five years.
Uganda has the largest refugee numbers in Africa with more than 1.4 million refugees and asylum seekers. Many of these refugees and asylum seekers originate from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and Somalia.