South Sudan still Africa’s biggest refugee crisis: UNHCR

July 2, 2019 (GENEVA) - South Sudan remains Africa’s biggest refugee crisis, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Monday.

South Sudan, UNHCR said, accounts for 14 percent of the total number of displaced persons, second only to Syria which accounts for 40 percent.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi released these figures while opening the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) in Geneva.

“Given the record numbers of people needing safety from war, conflict and persecution and the lack of political solutions to these situations, we urgently need countries to come forward and resettle more refugees,” he said.

Grandi urged the international community to provide refuge for the displaced persons, most of whom have fled their countries due to unending violence.

The conflict in South Sudan has killed tens of thousands of the population.

According to the UNHCR, over 2.3 million remain displaced in the East African nation which gained independence from neighbouring Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)