Africa-Press – Uganda. The State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Mr Musa Ecweru, has said government is considering lifting suspension on people seeking asylum in Uganda.
Mr Ecweru said following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country in March 2020, government decided to suspend receiving asylum seekers in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
“That has, however, not stopped people from seeking asylum in Uganda, especially those who are persecuted in their countries like DR Congo. We are monitoring the situation in those countries,” Mr Ecweru said.
Mr Ecweru made the remarks during a press conference on Tuesday after the official opening of a three-day retreat with senior officials from the Office of Prime Minister, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme.
“Our discussion in the retreat is looking at what we are going to do for those who are in need of our protection in Uganda even when the Covid-19 is still here. We want to come up with the proposals and resolutions which minister Hilary Onek and I we will present to Cabinet for critical analysis,” Mr Ecweru said.
He said after presenting their resolutions and proposals, Cabinet will advise UNHCR or the ministry on a way forward.
“We have not lifted the suspension and I do not have the mandate to lift the suspension. Our meeting here is to look at the challenges that we are meeting as managers of refugees and after make proposals to Cabinet, which will decide whether to maintain the ban or not,” Mr Ecweru said
He added that despite the suspension, some people continued to enter the country through the districts of Kisoro, Zombo, and Bundibugyo.
“The country needs to know that our open refuge policy still remains. There has been talk that suspending asylum is to abandon the refuge policy, the country will continue receiving people seeking asylum,” he said.
UNHCR representative Joel Boutroue said during the retreat they also gauged the country’s preparedness at different border points especially with DR Congo.
