South Sudan requires $358m to assist returnees from Sudan: minister

October 7, 2023 (JUBA) – South Sudan urgently requires up to $358 million in funding to assist people displaced by the conflict in Sudan, an official disclosed.

The Humanitarian Affairs minister, Albino Akol Atak told a press conference in Juba that close to 300,000 people displaced into South Sudan due to confrontations between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

There are fears that this number could rise to half a million as fighting continues.

“There is no indication the conflict will stop soon. And this means more and more people will continue to be affected and they will accept to remain where there is fighting and of course, followed by the death is the daily experience”, said Akol.

According to the official, the government and humanitarian partners initially drew up an estimate requiring $96 million for the first three months of response efforts.

“These estimates have since been reviewed, pushing it up to $358 million for humanitarian efforts throughout the end of the year,” he said.

Akol said the government of South Sudan has approved an additional $10 million to cover expenses related to transit sites, transportation, and the integration process for returnees. $5.3 million for humanitarian response had been spent.

He, however, warned that the influx of displaced persons due to the Sudan crisis could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in the country which was facing the challenge of providing aid to 9.4 million people who are in need.

The Sudanese envoy to Juba, Jamal Malik commended South Sudan’s efforts, pledging to work together to support people coming to South Sudan from Sudan.

“Our relations with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management are quite strong and good, cordial, actually excellent. We are working together to solve, coordinate, and provide support to people coming here whether they are returnees or Sudanese because of the current situation in Sudan,” he said.

Sudan now has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world.

Over 1 million refugees and returnees have fled the country, while another 4.3 million people have been displaced inside Sudan, mostly in northern and eastern Sudan.

Further, 24.7 million people or half of the Sudanese population now require humanitarian assistance and protection as the conflict, displacement, and disease outbreaks threaten to consume the entire country, aid agencies said.

(ST)