Korea donates 3,000 tons of rice to refugees in Uganda

04 Oct 2024, 17:49 by OUR REPORTER · The Observer

Some of the rice donations

The Republic of Korea has donated 3,000 metric tons of rice worth $2.8 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Uganda to support the food needs of 332,000 refugees and asylum seekers.

According to the press statement, this donation will enable WFP to support 90,400 refugees and asylum seekers (including hot meals for new arrivals) and 241,442 school children with daily hot meals. Since 2021, WFP has received over 13,492 metric tonnes of rice from Korea. The UN agency supports 1.4 million refugees in Uganda with food, cash and nutrition support.

REFUGEE INFLUX

The number of refugees in Uganda has almost tripled in the past ten years, from over 600,000 in 2014, to 1.7 million in 2024. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that around 2,500 people arrive in Uganda every week, primarily driven by ongoing conflicts and climate shocks in neighbouring countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan and more recently Sudan.

However, this growth in refugee numbers has not been matched by a growth in resources, forcing WFP to make difficult decisions about who receives food assistance and who goes without.

The most vulnerable refugees in Uganda receive just 60 per cent of a full ration, moderately vulnerable receive 30 per cent rations while all new arrivals receive 100 per cent food rations for the first three months. Also, thousands of others and surrounding host communities are assisted with livelihood-strengthening activities which support a transition to self-reliance.

Korea Ambassador to Uganda, Park Sung-soo said the rice donation is in line with Korea’s commitment to provide humanitarian support to Uganda at a time when the region is facing an influx of refugees and multiple crises.

Between 1964 and 1984, WFP's food assistance played a crucial role in the development of the Republic of Korea, which was recovering from the devastating effects of the Korean war in 1950s and the massive floods in 1963. Today, the Republic of Korea is one of WFP’s top 10 donors with contributions delivered to the most vulnerable people all around the world.