世界银行-让难民自力更生_从援助到撒哈拉以南非洲的就业（英）-2025_162页_4mb

Summary of Making Refugee Self-Reliance Work: From Aid to Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa

Core Content

This report, Making Refugee Self-Reliance Work: From Aid to Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa, explores the transition from a traditional aid-based approach to a more sustainable and development-oriented model of refugee hosting in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It argues that promoting refugee self-reliance is essential for creating a more efficient and humane refugee response system, especially as refugee crises become increasingly protracted and humanitarian resources grow scarce.

The report highlights the need to shift from a care-and-maintenance model, which has led to economic dependency and inactivity among refugees, to a model that emphasizes economic inclusion and agency. It outlines a new definition of self-reliance, where refugees are considered self-reliant if their consumption from nonhumanitarian sources exceeds the poverty line. This approach ensures that refugees are not just surviving but are also generating income to meet their basic needs.

Main Points

• Refugee Self-Reliance as a Development Challenge:

  • Sub-Saharan Africa hosts 8.2 million refugees, many of whom have spent over a decade in exile.
  • Refugee situations are increasingly seen as development challenges, not just humanitarian crises.
  • A sustainable response requires development-based solutions, not just aid.

• Current Refugee Response System:

  • The existing system is costly and ineffective, often rewarding economic exclusion.
  • Humanitarian aid is frequently used to support refugees who are unable to work, leading to dependency.
  • There is a significant shortfall in aid, with an estimated $1.5 billion missing annually to meet refugee subsistence needs in SSA.

• The Role of Self-Reliance:

  • Self-reliance reduces dependence on aid and increases financial autonomy for refugees.
  • It also benefits host countries by reducing the financial burden and improving local economic and social conditions.
  • Refugees who have access to economic opportunities are more likely to be self-reliant.

• Measuring Self-Reliance:

  • The report introduces a new method to measure self-reliance based on poverty lines.
  • It emphasizes that self-reliance is not just about living above the poverty line but about generating income without aid.
  • This approach aligns with the World Bank’s poverty measurement standards and allows for meaningful comparison with host populations.

• Policy Recommendations:

  • Government Leadership: Host governments must take the lead in refugee hosting, with support from the international community.
  • Economic Inclusion: Refugees should be allowed freedom of movement and access to national services and labor markets.
  • Financing: A shift to predictable, rules-based funding through government systems is needed.
  • Preparedness: Investing in preparedness and reducing reliance on parallel financing mechanisms can improve the efficiency of refugee responses.
  • Avoiding Encampment: Encampment should be minimized as it restricts economic participation and increases dependency.
  • Integrated Approaches: While integrated settlements may not be the most effective for promoting self-reliance, they can help improve access to basic services in remote areas.

Key Findings

• Refugees in SSA are largely poor, with over 65% living below the poverty line.
• Only a small percentage (14–31%) of refugees in SSA are self-reliant, compared to a higher proportion among host populations (54–63%).
• Self-reliance is strongly correlated with access to economic opportunities and freedom of movement.
• The cost of meeting refugees’ subsistence needs is substantial, with refugees in SSA earning nearly $5.24 billion annually, which is 62% of the total required to bring their consumption to the poverty line.
• Humanitarian aid covers only about 20% of these needs, highlighting the need for more investment in development-based solutions.

Country Case Studies

• Uganda: Refugees benefit from access to land, which allows them to engage in agriculture and generate income.
• Niger: The country has implemented progressive policies, including the integration of refugees into national systems.
• Kenya: The challenge of ending large-scale encampment is central, as many refugees remain in camps with limited economic opportunities.
• Chad: A refugee compact is being developed to support the triple win of self-reliance, development, and host country benefits.

Conclusion

The report concludes that promoting refugee self-reliance is not only a humane approach but also a practical and cost-effective one. It calls for a shift in mindset and policy from aid-based to development-based solutions, emphasizing the importance of inclusive policies, economic inclusion, and sustainable financing. The report also underscores the need for a coherent, measurable understanding of self-reliance to ensure effective implementation and long-term success.