By: Derrick Senyonga

KAMPALA

Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja has commended the UNHCR Commissioner for Refugees Mr. Filipo Gandi and his counterpart the International Olympics Committee President Mr. Thomas Bach for supporting refugees through sports.

“We take pride in our achievements in the sporting arena, and we remain steadfast in our belief that sports can serve as a powerful tool for peace, unity, and social inclusion between refugees and host communities,” said the Prime Minister in regards to the delegation’s choice of Uganda as one of the 5 African countries to visit during this tour.

“It is my hope that, as the country with the highest number of refugees in Africa, Uganda can present a team at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. To achieve this goal, we seek your continued support and partnership.”

The Minister of Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang told the delegation that the role of sports is to unite and to bring peace. “So as we go on now, if we don’t come up to begin speaking one language, we risk dividing the most uniting factor of activity in the world.”

Uganda is host to over 1.7m refugees.

“You have one of the best refugee policies in the world, not just in Africa. And you manage to keep it, to maintain it. We have calculated that in the last three years alone, Uganda has received 10,000 refugees every month. New ones. So thank you for being generous and welcoming when many other countries for many smaller numbers close borders and push people back,” said Mr. Fillipo Gandi.

Gandi admitted that refugee support was dwindling which has put pressure on the little resources that exist.

“We cannot deny children to go to school. So the few schools we have are overwhelmed by the numbers. The teachers who are there are overwhelmed by the numbers.  The health facilities we have in those refugee settlement areas are overwhelmed by the numbers. And yet the support has drastically dwindled. So it is on this note that I request that you think about this,” the Premier reiterated.

The High Commissioner committed to increase funding in form of grants. He also admitted that whereas development agencies like the World Bank can mobilize bigger funding, but ‘it’s very slow’.

“But count on us to continue to put pressure on them to deliver more quickly. I think there is a need for us to change the architecture conditions of these multinational banks. They are making us get crippled,” FIllipo said.

Nabbanja alluded to the need to mobilize more resources to improve on the standards of living for refugees.

“The point of permanent infrastructure in our camps, so that we can free the land for production. Because if you have been in Rwamwanja, you see everywhere littered with small, small, semi-permanent structures. If we can mobilize the resources, because I can see we still have refugee camps for quite some time. If we can think about it, mobilize the resources, so we can put permanent. So that people can have a decent home. A decent living.”

END