Responding to COVID-19 across the Horn of Africa
Format
Horn of Africa countries come together to prioritize collective efforts in the face of COVID-19
In the Horn of Africa, conflicts and famine have triggered the displacement of millions of people within countries and across borders. Today, there are more than 2.7 million refugees and over six million internally displaced people in this part of the world. As the countries of the Horn of Africa were scaling up their responses to a recent displacement crisis triggered by conflicts and droughts, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The relationship between host communities and refugees can often be fragile and complex. False or misleading information on COVID-19 has the potential to exacerbate tensions and contribute to the stigmatization of refugee populations. The disruption of informal sector livelihoods, which are a mainstay for refugees and host communities, is a further cause of social tensions.
Daily Monitor
Monday May 10 2021
Summary
The refugee response in Uganda is supported heavily by the UNHCR, which provides the bulk of the funding in the spirit of international solidarity and burden sharing.
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Many people often ask how one gets refugee status in Uganda. Let me give you a few highlights of that process based on a recent visit I made to to Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District.
When people flee their home countries in search of safety and security and arrive say in Nakivale, they are first recieved at a facility called a reception centre, where their biodata details are taken and profiled.