16 Feb Welcome to Refugee Economics

#RefugeeEconomics is a reporting project that investigates the economic impact of refugee crises on host communities. When displaced populations settle in host countries, jobs, consumer prices and public resources are invariably affected. However the right policies can help refugees thrive and contribute to the local economy through entrepreneurship, increased consumption and taxes.

With the bulk of refugee crises taking place in the developing world, this project looks at how weaker governments and fragile cities can deal with mass displacement by enabling the economic integration of refugees. We’ll focus on Uganda and Kenya, where displaced populations are partaking in local and international trade in spite of the restrictions and stigmatization they face as refugees. We’ll pay special attention to Uganda’s permissive policies in regards to economic integration and their long-term impact on host and refugee communities.

In the next few weeks we’ll start discussing this topic online. Use #RefugeeEconomics on Twitter and Facebook to follow the conversation and participate!