KEY FIGURES
224,420\*
Total number of South Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers registered and active in Uganda (as of 31 May 2016).
30,920
New arrivals since 1 Jan 2016.
74,896
Urban refugees and asylum seekers
463,356
Refugees in settlements.
Settlement breakdown of SSD refugees and asylum seekers registered in 2016 (as 24 May):
17,331
Refugees received in Adjumani
3,989
Refugees received in Arua
8,238
Refugees received in Kiryandongo
401
Urban refugees received in Kampala Kyangwali
*statistics are provided by the Government of Uganda Office of the Prime Minister
PRIORITIES
- Opening of the newly identified Pagiriya Settlement for relocation of new arrivals.
HIGHLIGHTS
The number of South Sudanese individuals crossing into Uganda is still big with an average daily arrival rate of 150-200 individuals, but largely on a decreasing trend. A total of 30,920 South Sudanese new arrivals have been registered in government’s Refugee Information Management System (RIMS) as of 31 May. However, there is a large registration backlog of new arrivals because of delayed registration and plot allocation due to redeployment of registration staff, on the just concluded general verification exercise’s three-month grace period. New arrivals report that several rebel groups continue to be active, with some new mushrooming ones forcefully recruiting youths and looting cows of civilians.
Reception and transit centres are quite stretched with high population visa-avis their intended capacities. In Adjumani, Nyumanzi Transit Centre is accommodating 4,540 refugees, over twice its capacity of 2,000 individuals because the initial Latodo settlement site identified after Maaji filled up did not take off as planned. Opening of the newly identified Pagiririya Settlement for relocation of new arrivals is ongoing and is expected to be operational soon. For now, new arrivals are being relocated to Maaji II and III extensions, but on a small scale.
Similarly in Kiryandongo, the reception centre currently hosts about 1300 South Sudanese new arrivals (over twice its capacity of 500 individuals) because of delayed registration and plot allocation due to redeployment of registration staff, on the just concluded general verification exercise’s three-month grace period. OPM and UNHCR have agreed to establish three additional temporary communal shelters as they continue to lobby for additional staffing during the period under review as a mitigation strategy.
President Yoweri Museveni announced his new 2016 cabinet, ahead of the 2016/17 Budget reading. The 81-cabinet-member list saw Hon. Hillary Onek and Musa Echweru retain their posts as Minister of Disaster Preparedness & Refugees and State Minister for Relief & Disaster Preparedness, respectively.