The European Union (EU) has pledged €85m (about Shs 340bn) to Uganda to help refugees, most of them from South Sudan.

According to EU aid commissioner Christos Stylianides, the money will help Uganda deal with “this unprecedented situation and support the most vulnerable refugees”.

Stylianides visited the Imvepi settlement in northern Uganda.

“Uganda’s example of helping vulnerable people cope with displacement is an example for the whole region and the world. However no country can deal with such a high number of refugees on its own,” he said.

Stylianides is one of international dignitaries, including UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, that will attend the Refugees Solidarity Summit in Kampala on Friday.

The conference seeks, among others, to raise $2bn in a year.

However, aid agencies say over $8bn is needed to handle the refugee crisis in the next four years as peace remains elusive in South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation.