By: Hellen Namale
NAKIVALE
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) through the Department of Refugees has launched the distribution of food relief items donated earlier this week by the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to vulnerable Congolese refugees in Nakivale settlement located in Isingiro District.
Mr. Patrick Okello, the Commissioner, Refugees giving his remarks at the launch of the distribution of food relief in Nakivale Settlement
Representing the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Dr. Lillian Aber – who received the relief from the Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Uganda His Excellency Mohammed Bin Khalil Faroudah, Patrick Okello the Commissioner for Refugees in OPM launched the distribution exercise appreciating the Kingdom for coming to the aid of vulnerable refugees saying refugee response efforts require a multi-stakeholder approach.
“The purpose of the food donated is to improve your livelihoods and not for sale, if found, there will be consequences,” warned Okello.
The 342 tonnes of relief food donated by the Kingdom includes 12,700 food relief boxes with each entailing sugar, salt, maize flour, rice, beans and cooking oil worth sh1.85bn ($500,000).
He lauded the Government of Saudi Arabia for the cordial relationship the Kingdom has maintained with Uganda and appealed for more aid from other developmental partners to ensure that refugees have access to essential social services such as healthcare and education to enable them acquire skills needed for employment and full participation in society.
Zainab Jafri, the Head of UNCHR Mbarara sub-office making remarks at the event of food relief distribution in Nakivale Settlement
Zainab Jafri, the Head of UNHCR Mbarara sub-office praised the Government of Uganda’s generous refugee policies such as open borders, non-camp policy and integration of refugees into communities saying these are considered among the most progressive steps globally.
Alzaben Abdulrhman representative from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Jafri said UNHCR will continue supporting the Government of Uganda towards durable solutions for refugees; “Given resource challenges, such processes as the food prioritization/categorization, new arrivals come into a more competitive environment, regarding human assistance. We cannot be thankful enough to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for prioritizing new arrivals including the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.”
Mbarara Refugee Desk Officer, Ms. Pauline Abina
Pauline Abina, the Mbarara Refugee Desk Officer said that only 12,000 refugees of the over 52,000 seeking asylum would benefit from the food relief and urged for continuous humanitarian funding to meet the needs of the 194,055 refugees in Nakivale.
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