South Sudan pledges to support returnees, refugees from Sudan
May 7, 2023 (JUBA) – The Government of South Sudan has pledged to support the returnees and refugees fleeing the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Nearly a month of clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has seen over 500 people killed and thousands of people wounded, according to the official figures provided.
The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom on Wednesday commended South Sudan for adopting what he described as a generous policy to welcome all the people fleeing the conflict in Sudan.
Albino Akol, the Humanitarian Affairs minister said President Salva Kiir pledged full support to the returnees and refugees entering the country.
According the minister, South Sudan is now creating temporary transit centers for the returnees, before transporting them to their states of origin.
Speaking to reporters in Juba on Friday, Information Minister Michael Makuei said government allocated $1million to the Humanitarian Affairs ministry seeking $5 million to provide services to returnees and refugees.
“The minister was given a sum of $1million which was released from the office of the president and that amount has already been handed over. And at present, the need is high, and the congestion in Paloch and Renk is very high. So an appeal was made for more funds so that they can immediately relocate those people that have assembled,” he remarked.
According to Makuei, the minister of humanitarian affairs was urged to collaborate with the UN and other aid agencies to deliver aid to people.
At least $445 million is required to support about 860,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said last week.
The updates followed a preliminary summary of the inter-agency Regional Refugee Response Plan for Sudan presented to donors on Thursday.
The response plan, UNHCR said, will primarily cover immediate support in Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and Central African Republic (CAR).
UNHCR said of the projected 860,000, 580,000 will be Sudanese, 235,000 refugees previously hosted by Sudan returning home in adverse conditions and 45,000 refugees of other nationalities previously hosted by Sudan.
Egypt and South Sudan are likely to see the most arrivals, the agency said.
(ST)