24 June, 2017
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends the Uganda Solidarity Summit on Refugees in Kampala, Uganda Friday, June 23, 2017. Bahrain Ambassador to Bahrain and Permanent Representative to the Arab League Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulrahmane bin Rashid Al-Khalifa attended the summit.
He said it was important for the global community to acknowledge Uganda's exemplary refugee policy. "It is a matter of justice", Guterres said. Uganda has been praised for its generous policy toward refugees, including the allocation of plots of land for growing food.
"Because of my education I have the confidence to speak before you today, in a language that I learned in Uganda", she said. But Turkey will continue to help refugees "with or without outside help", he added.
On Thursday, he visited refugee camps in northern Uganda, close to the South Sudan border, which have popped up over the a year ago, quickly becoming the largest in the world.
"Regrettably, the hospitality of host countries is not adequately matched by financial contributions."
"Disturbing shortfalls are emerging in critical areas such as food, shelter and education", he added.
The High Commissioner said support for Uganda, which already maintained an inclusive refugee policy, is critical to "show that this model can work".
He also applauded the innovative approach Uganda has adopted in responding to increased pressure of hosting refugees in view of the rapid increase in the number of refugees, especially from South Sudan.
"Zambia recognises the great sacrifices the people and government of Uganda have made in providing sanctuary to people who have been displaced and forced to flee their homes due to conflict and violence in their countries", he said.
On Friday, European nations pledged 125 million euros on top of 85 million euros pledged by the EU on Thursday, but summit organisers say $8 billion - or 7.2 billion euros - is needed to deal with the crisis for the coming four years.
But the High Commissioner, the Secretary-General and all speakers emphasized that what refugees need most is peace. He has urged South Sudan's leaders to end the civil war in which tens of thousands of people have been killed since late 2013.
President Yoweri Museveni stated that the South Sudan crisis was man-made, and "regional mechanisms, if actively used, and supported by the worldwide community can help resolve the crises in the Great Lakes region".
