The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting refugees and host communities worldwide, highlighting its role as the world’s largest humanitarian donor ahead of World Refugee Day.
In a joint statement released by the European Commission and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, the bloc paid tribute to the resilience of the more than 117 million people who have been forcibly displaced by conflict, persecution, violence and human rights abuses across the globe.
The statement noted that the number of displaced people worldwide declined in 2025 for the first time in a decade, underscoring the importance of sustained humanitarian assistance and efforts to address the root causes of displacement.
The EU said it continues to provide support to refugees, asylum seekers and host communities through humanitarian aid, development assistance and international partnerships.
European officials pointed to the bloc’s support for more than 4.8 million people who fled Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as emergency assistance in crisis zones including Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Venezuela, Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Beyond emergency relief, the EU said it is increasingly investing in long-term solutions aimed at helping refugees and host communities become self-reliant through education, employment opportunities, social protection and community integration.
The statement comes as countries such as Uganda continue to shoulder a significant share of the global refugee burden. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Uganda remains Africa’s largest refugee-hosting nation, sheltering between 1.8 million and nearly 2 million refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.
Uganda’s open-door refugee policy has earned international recognition, granting refugees access to land, education, healthcare and employment opportunities.
However, humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that dwindling international funding is placing growing pressure on refugee settlements and host communities.
UNHCR reported that Uganda was hosting approximately 1.93 million refugees in 2025 and was expected to surpass two million refugees during 2026 as conflicts in neighbouring countries continue to drive displacement.
The EU emphasized that global cooperation remains essential to protecting displaced populations and reaffirmed its support for the United Nations refugee agencies, including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
“As the world’s leading humanitarian donor, the European Union remains committed to supporting refugees and the communities that host them, while promoting dignity, protection and durable solutions,” the statement said.
World Refugee Day is observed annually on June 20 to recognize the courage and contributions of people forced to flee their homes and to mobilize international support for their protection and well-being.