UN humanitarian chief to visit S. Sudan refugees in Kenya

January 31, 2018 (NAIROBI) – The United Nations humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock will, on Tuesday, join the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi on a visit to Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, which currently hosts about 186,600 refugees and asylum seekers.

The two officials will jointly launch the South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan and the Regional Refugee Response Plan in the capital, Nairobi.

At least 106,000 of the refugees at Kakuma hail from South Sudan.

“Humanitarian needs in South Sudan continue to escalate, mainly due to conflict, displacement and food insecurity,” the UN noted.

Over two million South Sudanese are refugees in neighbouring countries, while an estimated seven million people in South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, it adds.

According to the UN, humanitarian partners in South Sudan need US$1.7bn to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to six million people across the war-torn East African country.

An anticipated 3.1 million South Sudanese will be refugees by the end of 2018 in six neighbouring countries, UN estimates indicated, with its refugee agency (UNCHR) and partners requesting for $1.5bn to address their needs.

(ST)