Uganda receives 51 refugees from Afghanistan
The Government of the Republic of Uganda has received 51 evacuees from Afghanistan today morning after Taliban militant took power of Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they arrived at the Entebbe International Airport aboard a privately chartered flight.
According to the statement, this follows a request from the United States Government and acceptance by the Uganda Government to temporarily host at-risk Afgan nationals and other Nationals who are in transit to the US and other destinations worldwide.
“The decision to host those in need is, is informed by the Government of Uganda’s consistent policy of receiving refugees and person in distress as well as playing a responsible role in matter of International concern,” read part of the statement.
The ministry says the evacuees, who include men, women and children, underwent mandatory Covid-19 testing and required quarantine procedures before jetting into the country and that more are expected in the country in the coming days.
The 51 are part of the 2, 000 refugees who are expected to arrive in Uganda, for a temporary stay as the United States makes a plan on the way forward.
Uganda’s deputy minister for disaster preparedness and refugees, Esther Anyakun, said President Yoweri Museveni told her to make preparations to host up to 2,000 refugees from Afghanistan.
According to Anyakun, Uganda expects to host the refugees temporarily for a period of three months or longer.
“We have been requested to host 2,000 refugees. We are expecting them to be brought in shifts of 500,” Anyakun said.
United Nations High Commission for Refugees Uganda representative Joel Boutroue also confirmed the decision to receive the Afghan refugees in Uganda.
“We welcome the decision and the generosity of the Ugandan government. What we are currently doing is we are preparing in collaboration with the office of the prime minister receiving them at the airport and lodging them. Then there will be screening, testing and resettlement,” Boutroue said.
According to UNHCR, Uganda is one of the world’s largest refugee-hosting countries, with nearly 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers living there, the majority from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
