The Operation has been modified as per Budget Revision 4 (see below)

Over the past few decades, Uganda has experienced the damaging effects of recurrent natural disasters, civil conflict within its borders and political instability in neighbouring countries. Increasingly frequent droughts and ongoing violence in the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda have rendered many of its inhabitants unable to provide for their immediate needs. A civil war fought across the Acholi, Teso and Lango sub-regions in the north has left 940,000 people displaced in camps and transit sites. Instability in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has led 187,000 refugees to seek asylum in the West Nile and Southwest sub-regions of western Uganda. Over 900,000 people were affected by drought or floods in 2007.

The budget revision for the Uganda protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO 101213) ‘Protracted Relief for Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees’ is proposed to:
expand geographically the general food distributions and nutrition activities to extremely vulnerable people in Karamoja. These vulnerable people were previously supported under the emergency operation (EMOP 108110), which ended in December 2010;

However, there are now potential opportunities for resolving some of these long-standing crises. The initiation of peace talks between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda in 2006 has rekindled hope for a resolution to the conflict and to the predicament of internally displaced people in camps. The signing of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2005 has likewise increased the prospect that Sudanese refugees in West Nile may be able to return home.

In response to this changing context, the Government launched its Peace, Recovery and Development Plan to mobilize human and financial resources to the conflict-affected areas in October 2007. The Plan provides a framework for the efforts of the humanitarian community and has specific provisions for humanitarian assistance and recovery activities. An evaluation of protracted relief and recovery operation 10121.1 and the findings of emergency food security assessments have confirmed the continued importance of food assistance in the crisis-affected areas. Therefore, the overall goal of the new operation is to support the Government’s efforts to provide life-saving relief and help food-insecure households make the transition, where possible, to greater self-reliance in a manner consistent with the unique challenges and opportunities of each location. In pursuing these ends, WFP will give the highest priority to saving lives through relief.

To meet relief requirements, WFP and its partners will provide food assistance to crisis-affected populations on the basis of assessed need. To assist in the transition to self-sufficiency, they will support the re-establishment of household livelihoods and the strengthening of community services (such as education, health and nutrition), infrastructure and natural resources. The food rations provided for these activities will meet the net food gap of the populations. These relief and recovery efforts will be handed over through the development of the capacity of the Government and other partners. The activities are consistent with WFP Strategic Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and Millennium Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. However, the success of the activities will depend upon continued positive political developments in Uganda and neighbouring countries.

Countries

Uganda

Uganda has embarked on a development agenda over the past two decades, with generally positive consequences on welfare and hunger. The proportion of poor people declined from nearly 39 percent in 2002/03 to about 31 percent in 2005/06, and further reduced to about 23 percent in 2009/2010....