Irish President urges International community to provide "more and faster" assistance to South Sudan refugees in Ethiopia

TIERKIDI REFUGEE CAMP, Ethiopia, 5 November 2014, UNHCR – Visiting Gambella region in western Ethiopia, the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, yesterday called on the international community to provide more and faster support to thousands of South Sudan refugees, most of whom are women, children and the elderly.

He said “it is quite scandalous” that less than half of the amount needed to provide services to South Sudan refugees  has come from the international community. 

“The international community needs to do more,” he said paying tribute to the Government and people of Ethiopia, and in particular to the people of the Gambella region for “giving an example in humanity to the world” in receiving refugees.

Applauding the efforts of the Ethiopian government, UNHCR and partners in providing assistance to refugees, the Irish leader stressed the need for countries to honour their pledges to the region. He emphasized that urgent action in this respect would enable the provision of services to refugees, including addressing immediate needs and the critical issue of refugees living in flood-affected areas in the region.

The Irish President visited the Tierkidi refugee camp with a population of some 48,000 refugees, where he witnessed firsthand the provision of nutritional services to malnourished refugee children through Irish Aid. He informed humanitarian workers that Ireland is to provide an additional €2 million in aid towards the deepening refugee crisis due to the conflict in South Sudan.  €1 million will go to providing health care, clean water and sanitation and education for South Sudanee refugees in Gambella, Ethiopia. Another €1 million will go to programmes in South Sudan, bringing to over €8.5 million the funding provided by Ireland to the South Sudanese crisis in 2014.

Following the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan in mid-December 2013, nearly 191,000 South Sudanese have crossed over into the Gambella region to seek refuge as peace efforts remain elusive. The new refugee arrivals add up to the old South Sudan refugee population of more than 43,000.

Expressing gratitude to donors, including the Government of Ireland, Ms. Angele Djohossou, the UNHCR head of sub-office in Gambella informed the visiting president that only 46 percent of the funding required to assist South Sudan refugees has been so far received. “We need more,” she appealed.