UNHCR urges partners to assist South Sudan in supporting returnees

(radiotamazuj.org)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) made a plea on Thursday for collective efforts from the international community to provide funding for South Sudan’s response to the influx of returnees and refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.

Mohammed Affey, the UNHCR Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, appealed urgently for additional funding to support the returnees and refugees who sought shelter in South Sudan amidst the crisis in Sudan. The UNHCR projects that South Sudan will receive over 500,000 returnees and refugees by the end of the year.

Affey recently concluded a three-day official mission to South Sudan to reinforce initiatives for displaced persons and address the challenges arising from the crisis in Sudan and its impact on South Sudan.

During a press conference at the UNHCR office in Juba, as his mission in the country came to an end, Affey expressed concern that the half a million people expected to flee the Sudanese crisis would place a further strain on the existing humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. He called upon the global community to stand in solidarity with South Sudan to address the situation.

“We, at UNHCR, want to create a global alert to emphasize that this situation requires the solidarity of all. While we acknowledge that the great majority of returnees are South Sudanese, we must recognize that the South Sudanese government and people need the support of the international community to confront the difficulties associated with the increasing number of arrivals,” he said.

Affey appealed for assistance in creating conditions that would facilitate returns and recovery, which are critical to building durable peace, stability, and sustainable solutions for displaced populations.

“It is essential to maintain the momentum of the South Sudan solution initiative for refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons, and host communities. We need to leverage the framework of the IGAD support platform to galvanize international backing for a regional approach in delivering solutions for both existing and new displaced populations,” he stressed.

Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR Representative in South Sudan, stated that they have only received 20 percent of the 96 million US dollars they appealed for in May to respond to the crisis. She mentioned that the UNHCR, along with other UN agencies, is working to revise the initial three-month funding plan, extending it to cover the end of the year.