Conflict-induced migration and local development

The socio-economic dynamics of a refugee-hosting area in Uganda

Abstract

For decades, Uganda has been a favourable destination for refugees. Between the late 1980s and the 1990s, violent conflicts in northern Uganda and southern Sudan caused complex patterns of human movement, including internal and cross-border migration. In addition, a mass influx of refugees from South Sudan occurred in late 2013. Uganda hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa, taking a progressive refugee management approach aimed at self-reliance and the peaceful coexistence of refugees and the host population. This paper reveals how South Sudanese refugees and the host population, most of whom consist of people who were displaced during the regional armed conflict, navigate life in new social and economic conditions in and around a refugee settlement in mid-western Uganda. Refugees have long been looked upon as a burden to host countries. Recent studies on the refugee economy, however, reveal that refugees can contribute to the Ugandan economy. I analyse how a refugee-hosting area saw economic development and urbanisation in a relatively short period. On the other hand, local people, whether refugees or Ugandan nationals, have been struggling to cope with the depletion of resources, including food, land, and firewood. Finally, I discuss the social and economic impact of conflict-induced migration in refugee-hosting areas.