More than 2.25 million now displaced in South Sudan and across its borders
UNHCR says country marks independence anniversary with more than 1.5 million people internally displaced; a further 730,000 have fled into neighbouring countries.
GENEVA, July 7 (UNHCR) - As South Sudan prepares to mark its fourth anniversary of independence, the UN refugee agency said on Tuesday that continued conflict was pushing the numbers of refugee and internally displaced people ever higher.
UNHCR said most recent figures showed that more than 730,000 people have fled in to neighbouring countries and some 1.5 million people are internally displaced.
In addition, South Sudan has continued to receive refugees from neighbouring Sudan -- almost 250,000 people in total, mostly from Sudan's Blue Nile and South Kordofan states where a different conflict is creating insecurity.
South Sudan's civil war and violence started in mid-December 2013.
"Political efforts so far have failed to bring an end to the conflict, and the outlook for the affected populations remains grim," UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told a press briefing in Geneva.
He said that recent weeks had seen an escalation in violence in Unity and Upper Nile states, with heavy fighting forcing tens of thousands of people to flee to the bush and swamplands and other "areas that are difficult to reach".
"This is a volatile and insecure situation which prevents humanitarian access. Ongoing hostilities and a reported increase in human rights violations and abuses have contributed to additional displacement," Edwards added.
He said that despite the rising numbers, the neighbouring countries of asylum had kept their borders open and that some 90 per cent of new arrivals in these countries were women and children.
In Ethiopia, on average, every day, some 180 South Sudanese refugees arrive through four border crossings into the Gambella region. Ethiopia now hosts over 275,000 South Sudanese, in addition to some 425,000 refugees of other nationalities.
To accommodate and assist refugees from South Sudan and increase its capacity for more new arrivals, UNHCR is boosting its capacity with the construction of a sixth camp, near the existing Pugnido refugee camp.
Sudan has seen the highest arrival rate this year, with more than 38,000 South Sudanese entering the country in June alone. This influx took the total number of South Sudanese there to nearly 188,000. Refugees are arriving daily in White Nile, Khartoum, South and West Kordofan states, joining a population of about 350,000 South Sudanese who remained in Sudan after secession.
In Uganda, more than 155,000 refugees have arrived since December 2013, joining the 22,000 South Sudanese who had decided to remain in Uganda following independence.
Meanwhile in Kenya, the refugee camps at Kakuma, have received 46,000 South Sudanese refugees, bringing the total population to 185,000, far beyond the capacity of 125,000, leading to congestion and hitting assistance efforts.
Refugee assistance programmes across the region are severely underfunded. UNHCR and 38 partners are requesting US$810 million to protect and assist up to 821,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.
To date, however, this inter-agency appeal is only funded at 13 per cent ($US102 million). With refugees still arriving en masse, life-saving assistance including shelter and basic services are being prioritized.
Resources remain insufficient to provide adequate food rations and health services to prevent and treat acute malnutrition, provide adequate potable water, and construct latrines.
Related news and stories
Recurring floods in Sudan displace refugees and their host communities
Across borders, South Sudan's displaced call for peace
Q&A with Mary Maker, UNHCR's newest Global Goodwill Ambassador
UNHCR and partners appeal for US$1.3 billion to support South Sudanese refugees
Food shortages and aid cuts put more displaced women at risk of gender-based violence
UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner appeals for solutions in South Sudan
Your search for « south sudan » matched 4923 results. Only the first 1,000 results are displayed. Displaying page 4 of 112 pages.
-
Evaluation of UNHCR's Response to the L3 South Sudan Refugee Crisis in Uganda and Ethiopia
Feb 2016 ... Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES) Evaluation of UNHCR’s Response to the L3 South Sudan Refugee Crisis In Uganda and Ethiopia Evaluation Team: Guido Ambroso Gita Swamy Meier-Ewert ...... Attachments: Evaluation management response (.pdf) -
Evaluation of UNHCR's Response to the L3 South Sudan Refugee Crisis In Uganda and Ethiopia
8 Jan 2021 ... Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES) Evaluation of UNHCR’s Response to the L3 South Sudan Refugee Crisis In Uganda and Ethiopia Evaluation Team: Guido Ambroso Gita Swamy Meier-Ewert ...... -
Q&A: Growing pains vex South Sudan, five years after independence
8 Jul 2016 ... As they yearn for a lasting peace that will allow them to return and rebuild South Sudan, those displaced need help now. Ann Encontre is UNHCR’s Deputy Director for the East and Horn of Africa and ...... -
The things they left behind
15 Dec 2014 ... It's far worse when you have no time to pack. In the past year nearly 200,000 people have fled to Ethiopia to escape a brutal civil war in South Sudan. They ran for days, weeks or months – often ...... -
'Start by showing us that the peace is serious'
5 Sep 2018 ... South Sudan Peace Talks – The voices of refugees Driven from his land by conflict in South Sudan, farmer Singira Mirihewari traveled for 18 hours to tell leaders negotiating peace in Sudan what ...... -
Emtithal Mahmoud
... Born in Khartoum, Sudan, before later moving to the United States, Emi has used her talents to raise ... 2017 to mark the announcement of the millionth South Sudanese refugee entering Uganda; and A ...... -
South Sudan
6 Oct 2020 ... 1 National Statement of the Republic of South Sudan Delivered by H.E. Amb. Beatrice Khamisa Wani Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 71 st Session of the Executive Committee of ...... -
As South Sudan turns nine, its people remain committed to peace
9 Jul 2020 ... South Sudan needs peace and global support as the country marks 9th independence anniversary It all began when she deescalated an argument at a water pump in the Don Bosco site for Internally ...... -
More urgency needed in quest for South Sudan peace - UN Refugee Chief
16 Aug 2017 ... AL-NAMIR, East Darfur, Sudan – As worsening violence in South Sudan drives ever more men, women and children to run for their lives, the UN Refugee Chief is calling on warring parties, regional ......