Ask of Me, and I will Make the Nations Your Inheritance.
Low-Income Countries Accept More Than 83% of Refugees
One of the most pressing issues in the international community today is the refugee crisis. Unlike in the past, when refugee problems were confined to specific regions, the current crisis has become a transregional and even intercontinental issue, making it a critical political and social concern for many nations. While it is commonly assumed that European countries bear the largest burden, the reality is that more than 80% of refugees remain in countries near their places of origin, primarily in developing nations.
The acceptance of refugees has become highly polarized, with developed nations admitting relatively few, while low-income countries continue to bear a disproportionate burden. Currently, 83% of refugees reside in low- and middle-income countries, while 27% are hosted by the least developed nations.
The high refugee acceptance rate in low-income countries is primarily due to the tendency of displaced individuals to flee to neighboring nations. Syrian refugees seek asylum in Turkey and Iran, Afghan refugees in Pakistan, South Sudanese refugees in Sudan and Uganda, Venezuelan refugees in Colombia, and Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh. However, these neighboring countries are often struggling with their own economic and social challenges. Meanwhile, high-income nations, which control the majority of global wealth, host only 16% of the world’s refugees.
In particular, low-income countries such as Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of Congo host 22% of refugees who have crossed borders. Most of these refugees live in isolated settlements such as refugee camps due to their protracted refugee status. This prolonged crisis has now become a severe political, social, and economic issue in sub-Saharan African nations.
For example, South Sudanese refugees reside in Kenya and Uganda, Nigerian refugees have settled in Cameroon and Niger, and refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia are found in South Africa. More than 60% of refugee camps managed by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) are located in sub-Saharan Africa. As the refugee crisis remains unresolved, more people are living their entire lives in these temporary settlements.
Uganda Is Hosting 1.52 Million Refugees
Uganda is one of the few countries actively accepting refugees. While many live in camps or designated settlements, a significant number are also allowed to reside in cities and work for their livelihood. Additionally, with international assistance, refugees in Uganda have access to vocational training and education.
Due to its refugee-friendly policies, the Ugandan government receives international support for refugees and integrates them into the local economy through labor programs. As of now, Uganda hosts 1.52 million refugees and asylum seekers. Among them, 62% are from South Sudan, making them the largest group, followed by 29% from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As South Sudan’s civil war intensified in the mid-2010s, the number of refugees in Uganda increased dramatically. Consequently, Uganda solidified its position as Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country. The Bidi Bidi refugee camp in northern Uganda currently hosts over 270,000 refugees, accounting for 16% of the country’s total refugee population. At one point, Bidi Bidi was the world’s largest refugee camp. Today, it remains Uganda’s largest and the second-largest refugee camp in the world.
》Scripture Prayer
(Psalm 2:1-12,NIV)
1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us pray that the injustices and evils that fuel civil wars and terrorism through armed groups in many African nations will be removed. Pray that those who incite anger, plot in vain, and scheme to steal and kill may realize that such acts are ultimately defiance against God and come to repentance. Let us earnestly ask that the cycle of violence, bloodshed, and death in Africa may cease and that it may become a land of life and peace.
2. Let us pray for God’s mercy on the people of Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who are forced to flee their homes due to ongoing conflict, violence, and natural disasters such as droughts. May the Lord protect them from these life-threatening crises and grant them His saving grace, so they may seek and rely on Him even more. Let us also pray for Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Niger, and South Africa, which operate refugee camps for those fleeing war-torn nations. May these nations not only provide temporary shelter but also become channels of salvation, sharing the gospel with those in need.
3. The Lord has called the church to be a warring “bride with an iron scepter.” When the King commands, the bride rises as a warrior against Satan and obeys His call without hesitation. Let us pray that the churches in Africa and the refugees will become the bride of Christ, running towards God’s kingdom without fearing for their own lives. Let us also ask that African immigrants be armed with the gospel, building strongholds of prayer and advancing toward the nations until they fully inherit the kingdom of God.
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