Uganda, France Push for Shift from Humanitarian Aid to Refugee Self-Reliance

Uganda and France have called for a shift in refugee response strategies across the Great Lakes region, emphasizing sustainable, inclusive approaches that reduce dependence on humanitarian aid and promote self-reliance.

Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Advancing Inclusive Humanitarian Action in the Great Lakes Region: Leaving No One Behind,” the French Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Virginie Leroy, said the region faces “one of the most urgent and complex challenges” managing humanitarian action amid rising refugee numbers and shrinking donor resources.

“Uganda is now hosting nearly two million refugees, making it the largest host country in Africa and the third in the world,” Leroy said. “Traditional aid mechanisms heavily reliant on public donors are no longer sufficient to cover the scope of the needs.”

She added that the situation requires moving beyond emergency relief toward “structural and long-term solutions to strengthen self-reliance and support the dignity of refugees.”

According to the ambassador, 2025 has been “a stepping point” in Uganda’s refugee response, as the country faces surging arrivals from conflict-affected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia. Since January, Uganda has received more than 70,000 new refugees, 70% of them women and children, with Congolese accounting for over half.

The French envoy highlighted the outcomes of the October 30 Paris Conference on the Great Lakes, where 70 countries and organizations pledged €1.5 billion in support for humanitarian efforts. “This is a victory for peace that brings hope to the civilian population,” she said, adding that commitments were also made to reopen Goma Airport to humanitarian flights and secure aid corridors.