Uganda has garnered considerable international praise for its ‘open-door’ policies on refugees. This is particularly the case against the backdrop of a global context of the growing phenomenon of states constructing physical and metaphorical walls against the phenomenon of migration, whether forced or voluntary. Nevertheless, such praise conceals a much more complex context of opportunistic strategizing, donor politics and regional geopolitical balancing. In sum, what is lauded as ‘progressive’ is much more problematic and nuanced, especially with respect to the issue of local integration (particularly for long-term refugees), voluntary repatriation and the management and funding of refugee support
