IOM, Norway sign $5m deal to implement IDPs project in Wau
December 6, 2022 (WAU) – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have signed a $5 million agreement to support the implementation of a durable solutions project in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital, Wau.
The project, IOM said in a statement, will aid the implementation of a road map prepared by Western Bahr El Ghazal State governor to support the populations of Naivasha internally displaced people (IDP) camp and Hai Masna collective center to end their displacement situation.
The state government, it further noted, will coordinate the identification and facilitation of durable solutions for over 10,0000 IDPs.
According to the agency, these households will, during the project, be provided with support to make informed decisions on which durable solution to be pursued, including local integration, return or relocation.
“The project makes a difference for the displaced people of Western Bahr el Ghazal to build up a normal life away from camp settings, make their own livelihood and build their permanent homes. This project will also serve as an example for other regions of South Sudan to facilitate the transition from a humanitarian situation to sustainable development,” said Peter van der Auweraert, IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission.
The agency stated that the displaced persons who will opt for local integration will further benefit from multi-sectoral assistance in the form of housing, including documentation for housing land and property rights, water sanitation and hygiene services, protection and health services as well as livelihoods assistance, to enable people to become self-reliant.
Those opting for return or relocation, it stressed, would benefit from referrals to other humanitarian and development partners for assistance.
“South Sudan has over 2,2 million displaced people within the country. With this program, we want to do our part to find durable solutions for displaced people. Importantly, this project will provide support to IDPs, empowering them to make informed decisions on the durable solution they would like to pursue,” said Linken Nymann Berryman, Norway’s Ambassador to South Sudan.
He added, “We hope this project can be a model on how to address the problem of displacement across the country”.
The two-year project will also benefit host communities, as it will support small community infrastructure projects and the host community members will also partly be included in livelihoods programming.
(ST)