Finnish Refugee Council (FRC)

The number of refugees peaked at 1,791,339 million in February of 2025 and has been on the rise since the autumn of 2023. Despite being an Least Developed Country, Uganda continues to open its borders to refugees, who make up nearly 4% of the Ugandan population. Uganda is well-known around the world for its progressive refugee policies, which are domesticated through integration into the country’s development plans. However, much of the actual funding for the refugee response is still heavily reliant on foreign contributions.

 

Uganda and other neighbouring countries have many refugees due to ongoing conflicts and internal crises. New refugees enter Uganda seeking safety and a better life. As of February of 2025, the largest group was South Sudanese at 54 % (987,092 people), followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 31,5 % (575,961) and Sudan at 3,9 % (71,849). Most South Sudanese and DRC refugees are fleeing escalating wars. Famine and natural disasters like Congo’s volcanic eruption and South Sudan’s drought have also caused displacements. South Sudanese refugees live in Adjumani, Palabek, Kiryandongo, and other West Nile settlements, while Congolese refugees live in Kyangwali, Kyaka II, and Nakivale. As previously stated, the refugee population grew gradually from a few tens of thousands, estimated at around 200,000 in 2000, to slightly more than 1.5 million by 2021 and is approaching 1,8 million in 2025.