Economics & Development

Uganda hosts 1.96 million refugees and asylum seekers under one of Africa’s pioneering refugee policy frameworks, granting freedom of movement, the right to work, and access to social services. Yet, despite these provisions, most refugees remain in designated settlements rather than relocating to areas with greater economic opportunity. This paper examines the factors that shape settlement patterns and constrain mobility within Uganda’s inclusive, self-reliance-oriented model. It uses a mixed-methods approach that combines literature review, administrative data analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The findings show that incentives to remain in settlements and structural constraints to mobility increase aid dependence and limit refugees’ ability to pursue economic opportunities elsewhere. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to strengthen mobility-based self-reliance, reduce aid dependency, and further consolidate Uganda’s role as a regional pioneer in refugee policy.