Resource information
Most reports on refugees deal with the
immediate needs of displaced people. This paper seeks to go
beyond the emergency phase and explore the challenges
surrounding protracted refugee situations. The paper
examines the refugee situation in Sub-Saharan Africa from a
long-term angle, from the perspective of refugees own agency
as well as from the perspective of the host community. The
paper aims to shed light on the economic lives of refugees
in their host communities. Starting with an overview of the
situation of refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa, the paper draws
on findings from the literature to debunk some entrenched
beliefs about refugees. The discussion of refugee crises in
Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda draws some
lessons. The decision to return is discussed and it is
argued that the decision depends on the socioeconomic
condition in the host country versus the country of refuge,
integration versus return policies in place, the individual
set of skills of each refugee, and his or her subjective
perception of the political climate in both countries.
