Germany donates €1.4 million for UNHCR in Sudan
September 15, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The German government has donated €1.4 million to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist it with its work in the Sudan.
UNHCR Deputy Representative and Officer-in-Charge in Sudan Angela Li Rosi said in a statement that Germany “is a strong and traditional partner to UNHCR worldwide” and stressed that this contribution is critical to fulfilling UNHCR mandate.
“In times of scarce resources, a large number of activities aimed at addressing long-term displacement situations cannot be implemented due to funding shortfalls,” she said.
Rolf Welberts, the German ambassador to Sudan said that his government “continues its support for UNHCR in Sudan and in the entire region to help alleviate the hardship that many refugees and victims of human trafficking have to go through”.
He said his country also worked jointly with UNHCR to award scholarships to refugees at Sudanese universities.
The contribution would enable UNHCR respond to the needs of new arrivals in eastern Sudan in particular through providing medical assistance to victims of human trafficking.
UNHCR said it has been working very closely with Sudanese government and other partners to address the issue of human trafficking in particular to improve the security in the camps, strengthen the assistance provided to victims of trafficking both in the East and in Khartoum and seek alternatives to onward movements.
Ambassador Welberts said that through the Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI) some refugees receive higher education opportunities every year that can have a major impact on themselves and on their communities through the skills and expertise gained throughout their studies.
UNHCR in Sudan works with the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and other national institutions to protect and assist 370,000 refugees and asylum seekers, as well internally displaced people in Khartoum, the East, South and West Kordufan, White Nile and Darfur.
UNHCR has 11 offices in Sudan and its financial requirements for 2015 amount to US$173.4 million.
(ST)