All by Alexander Betts

The political history of Uganda’s refugee policies

Uganda’s ‘self-reliance’ policy for refugees has been widely praised, and described by UNHCR as a model of development-based assistance for other countries to emulate: it allows refugees the right to work and freedom of movement. But while there is evidence to suggest that there are positive outcomes from the 'self-reliance' approach, rarely have these policies been examined in historical or political context. This post argues that ostensibly liberal policies have often emerged from illiberal politics.