From ‘Humanitarian’ to ‘Development & Investment’ – Designing New Regional Strategies

Challenge

The East and Great Lakes region hosts millions of forcibly displaced persons due to complex crises. As displacement becomes protracted and humanitarian funding dwindles, the traditional “care and maintenance” model has reached its limits. Host countries face the dual burden of supporting refugees while addressing their own development challenges. There was an urgent need to shift the paradigm towards self-reliance, private sector engagement, and a regional approach that harmonises humanitarian relief with long-term development investments.

OC Global conducted a comprehensive strategic survey across 12 countries to formulate a new cooperation strategy for JICA. By analysing the gaps between progressive refugee policies and their implementation on the ground, we identified key challenges and opportunities in the region. Based on this analysis, we proposed a comprehensive regional approach and a strategic roadmap for JICA to address the complex displacement crisis. The project also facilitated high-level regional workshops to co-create solutions with governments, international organisations, and private stakeholders.

• Strategy Formulation: Formulated a comprehensive support strategy for JICA based on a rigorous analysis of regional challenges and opportunities. This framework guides future Japanese ODA to seamlessly connect humanitarian, development and peace (HDP Nexus).
• Private Sector Mobilisation: Identified concrete pathways to engage private companies and investors, viewing refugees not as burdens but as economic actors and market opportunities.
• Regional Policy Alignment: Fostered dialogue between regional bodies (IGAD, EAC) and national governments to align refugee protection with regional economic integration.