The World Food Programme (WFP), a key branch of the United Nations, has recently been bolstered by an $11 million donation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This significant contribution is part of a broader effort to support refugees in Uganda, with the total aid for the fiscal year 2023 nearing $83 million.

Since the start of 2024, Uganda has seen an influx of nearly 40,000 refugees, predominantly women, children, and the elderly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. The country now hosts 1.6 million refugees, the highest in Africa, a number that has quadrupled since 2014.

According to Abdirahman Meygag, WFP’s Country Director in Uganda, "This contribution is undoubtedly a relief for the most vulnerable households in the refugee settlements." Despite Uganda's progressive asylum and refugee support policies, refugees face limited opportunities to sustain themselves. They remain largely dependent on humanitarian aid, as the gap between their needs and the availability of funding continues to widen.

In response to the growing needs, WFP has adjusted its food assistance program. Extremely vulnerable refugee households receive 60 percent of a standard food ration, while less vulnerable families get 30 percent. Households not categorized as vulnerable are transitioned off food assistance to connect with long-term livelihood opportunities. However, all new arrivals are entitled to a full food ration for their first three months.

Daniele Nyirandutiye, USAID Mission Director in Uganda, emphasized the ongoing commitment:

USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance has contributed over $300 million to WFP from 2020 to 2023, aiding refugees with food and cash transfers and enhancing smallholder farmers’ resilience through agriculture market support. Nevertheless, WFP urgently needs an additional $110 million to sustain its emergency operations in Uganda until the end of the year.