The majority, nearly 60 per cent, hail from South Sudan, while over 30 per cent originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country continues to receive new arrivals, with more than 29,000 individuals registered since the onset of 2024.
Section 20(2) of the Uganda Refugee Act mandates the Refugee Eligibility Committee to consider and determine refugee status of any applicant within ninety days after the date of receipt of the application by the Commissioner. As of September 2023, a total 47,000 people were still recognized as asylum seekers without legal refugee status. To address this backlog, the Office of the Prime Minister with support from UNHCR, launched an accelerated Refugee Status Determination exercise in Kampala targeting asylum seekers from Eritrea, Burundi, Congo, and Pakistan amongst other nationalities.
The brief explores NRC’s role in supporting this important exercise and key achievements and opportunities.
