news 3 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
EU Grants $900,000 to Ease Refugee Strain on Arua City's Services
The European Union is providing Arua City with USD900,000 over five years to bolster education, health, and infrastructure overwhelmed by over 24,000 urban refugees from South Sudan and DR Congo. Initial projects include upgrading a science lab and building health and market facilities to benefit both locals and refugees. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/eu-bails-arua-city-from-urban-refugee-stress-5445392
Arua City in Uganda is receiving a major financial boost from the European Union to address the pressures on public services caused by a growing number of urban refugees.
The USD900,000 funding, channeled through the Sustainable Urban Integration of Displacement Affected Communities (SUIDAC) project via Cities Alliance, will span five years. It targets key areas like education, healthcare, roads, and water supply, which have been stretched thin by the refugee influx.
Arua hosts around 24,000 urban refugees, primarily from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the Arua City Authority for Vulnerable (ACAV). Without extra resources, local services have struggled to cope.
Early initiatives include remodeling a science laboratory at Arua Public Secondary School, which serves over 3,000 students, at a cost of Shs197 million. Other projects encompass constructing a general ward at Adumi Health Centre IV for Shs124 million, building a satellite market in Dadamu, and adding a storage building with eight classrooms at the crowded Arua Primary School.
SUIDAC Project Officer Denis Asiku emphasized that the refugees present a development opportunity. The funding will upgrade social services for both residents and newcomers.
Refugees like David Oscar, a student from DR Congo, shared that many relocate to Arua from camps seeking better education and amenities.
This article is based on a report from the Daily Monitor.