Uganda, the human emergency of about two million refugees

Stefano Lizshenski – Vatican City

The increased insecurity in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo raised the number of refugees in Uganda to more than 1.8 million. Since January 2025, more than 41,000 Congolese crossed the borders that have escaped fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels, who launched a major attack throughout the Kivu region.

Uganda is at risk of instability

Uganda, the country that hosts the largest number of refugees, is witnessing a strong increase in the number of Congolese who cross their western borders. Due to the ongoing discounts in financing human emergencies, this significant increase in expatriates is at risk of testing the country’s capabilities, which must also respond to the needs of more than 70,000 Sudanese refugees fleeing two years of war in Sudan.

More than 600,000 Congolese refugees

In the last two weeks, 600 people have crossed the border with Uganda every day. The new arrivals, most of them women and children, enter Uganda to three main points: Punagana in the Kisuro, Botagota region in Canongo and Sibagoro in Kikop. Many of them come from the areas of Rochoro, Masisi and Juma, on the Congo road, where they witnessed killings, sexual violence and other painful experiences during their journey. In Kikuube, nearly 4,000 Alberto Lake refugees to Uganda have crossed in risk conditions, after traveling for hours in crowded ships in difficult climatic conditions. More and more men separate their families to avoid recruiting them by force by armed groups.

Difficult health conditions

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recently gave alert about the increasing health conditions of refugees, especially children, who reach the refugee fields in critical conditions due to malaria and malnutrition. The dangerous shortage of water, toilets and facilities that can be washed, especially in the transportation centers in Mattanda and Nakabandy, exposes the population at the risk of contracting deadly diseases. Health services are also subject to increased pressure and struggle to meet the increasing needs of many people who reach bad health.

Overclocking in the fields

ACNUR says that transportation and reception centers on the border are saturated and with the start of the rainy season, all available spaces, including kitchens and registration areas, are used to accommodate refugees. Due to the lack of financial resources, the vital services of refugees have been closed throughout the country. The construction of housing for people with special needs has been paralyzed and fuel reduced by 30 %, and it affects logistics and services. The financing crisis also has a major impact on the humanitarian response to the commission, forcing the agency to reduce some standard protection activities, such as the legal assistance of refugees and safe spaces for children.

Permanent sexual violence

He also gave a warning about the deficit of financing after the interruption of UNICEF service programs, which Tanoug: “250,000 children will be deprived of vital services for sexual violence and protection in armed conflicts.” According to a spokesman for the Geneva of the United Nations Fund for Children, thousands of Congolese children were victims of sexual violations and violence. “The rate of sexual violence against children was never high.” It is not related to isolated accidents, “UNICEF reports”, but a systematic crisis. There are survivors even in childhood. It is a deliberate terrorist weapon and tactical that destroys families and societies. “