Analysis of the Russia-Ukraine War’s Consequences on Sustainable Livelihoods of Refugees in Africa

Abstract

The Russia-Ukraine War will leave behind unprecedented scars among the primary conflicting parties and the international community. One of such scars is already being felt – a surge of refugee influx into neighbouring countries with mounting humanitarian needs. As the world continue recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war will make the recovery process more complicated. While geopolitical relations are threatened, the global economy is also affected – prices of commodities have gone high. The livelihood is endangered and many other services such as education and healthcare have been heavily impacted. Many countries are realigning their financial policies to meet economic uncertainties. Support for the most vulnerable that includes refugees is likely to be threatened. Amidist these challenges, refugees, particularly those in low-income countries, Africa inclusive, are left in peril. With that in mind, this paper aimed at analysing the relational consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war on sustainable livelihoods of refugees in Africa. Secondary qualitative data was obtained through the exploration of relevant literature, reports, articles, and news. While imploring “social solidary theory” of Émile Durkhein (1858-1917) and the African Solidarity perspective of “ubuntu”, the paper argues for a “re-envisioned collaboration” among African states in the context of global crises vis-à-vis the plight of refugees in Africa.