Sudan completes preparations for refugee return from Uganda

January 29, 2026 (KAMPALA) – A Sudanese committee said on Thursday it had completed preparations to begin repatriating refugees from Uganda to Sudan, though flight schedules have not yet been announced.

The High Committee for the Voluntary Return of Sudanese Refugees in Uganda said selected individuals would be contacted by telephone to complete requirements with Ugandan authorities.

Between 88,000 and 92,000 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers were registered in Uganda as of late 2025, according to the committee, with new arrivals continuing.

The majority live in the Kiryandongo settlement, while 10 to 13 per cent reside in Kampala as urban refugees, according to the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) and the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister.

Priority will be given to the sick, elderly, students, people with special needs, humanitarian cases, and government employees recalled by their institutions, with those in camps receiving preference, the committee said.

Registration through an official digital platform is required for repatriation, it added.

The committee said it had coordinated with the Sudanese Embassy, UNHCR, and representatives of the refugee community, and noted support from Sudanese businessmen and airlines for the initiative.