KAMPALA, Dec. 6 — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held discussions with the Ugandan government following its suspension of asylum and refugee status registration for people from three Horn of Africa countries.
In a statement issued late Thursday, the UNHCR said it would continue to engage with Ugandan authorities to ensure that individuals with urgent protection needs can still access asylum procedures, and that Uganda’s long-standing commitment to hosting people escaping harm is preserved.
“We continue to work closely with the government so that those who need international protection can access it safely and lawfully,” the UNHCR said.
The Ugandan government last week announced that it had halted the registration of new arrivals from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, arguing that the three countries were “not experiencing war” and pointing to dwindling donor support.
The UNHCR warned that suspending registration could leave people fleeing conflict, persecution or other serious harm without access to formal asylum procedures and the protections that accompany them.
Uganda currently hosts about two million asylum-seekers and refugees, including 56,957 Eritreans, 49,991 Somalis and 15,996 Ethiopians, according to UNHCR data.
