Introduction
East Africa has long hosted major refugee populations, owing both to the presence of some of the world's most severe and protracted crises - whether in the region or at its borders - and to the open-door refugee policies adopted by several of its countries. Violence and hunger caused by conflicts in South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have continuously forced millions to flee in the past decade. Some six million refugees come from those four countries alone. Today, the growing impacts of climate change further exacerbate these displacement trends, with droughts and floods becoming so severe that people have no other choice but to cross borders to seek asylum and cover their basic needs.
In response, countries such as Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia have consistently maintained open borders, hosting vast refugee populations in camps such as Dadaab and Kakuma in Kenya and Nakivale, Adjumani and Bidi Bidi in Uganda, which are among the largest in the world. Together, these three countries currently host approximately 3.8 million refugees (up from 2.7 million in 2020), representing 10% of all refugees worldwide. Despite limited resources, these governments maintain or adopt relatively progressive refugee policies, offering shelter, education, and livelihood opportunities, while also supporting refugees’ self-reliance.
However, the prolonged and recurring nature of these crises, coupled with economic strain and dwindling funds for refugee responses globally, has tested the region's capacity to implement its progressive refugee policies and facilitate refugees’ meaningful integration. At a time when cost-effectiveness is more important than ever, refugee-hosting governments and their international donors should pursue two clear priorities: redoubling efforts to address the root causes of the crises people continue to flee, and accelerating progress on refugee self-reliance and integration.