UNHCR: South Sudan Becomes Second Largest Host of Sudanese Refugees
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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that South Sudan has become the second-largest host of people fleeing the war in Sudan, with over 810,000 arrivals since April 2023.
In a statement issued on Friday, UNHCR stated that South Sudan now hosts more than half a million refugees in 30 locations across the country, most of them in refugee camps in Maban, Jamjang, Wedeil, and Gorom.
Marie-Hélène Verney, UNHCR’s Representative in South Sudan, said: "The number of refugees in South Sudan has almost doubled in less than 18 months, and we expect worse to come. The conflict in Sudan is hitting South Sudan harder than any other country in the region, further exacerbating the immense challenges the nation faces."
Verney called for assistance in helping South Sudan integrate the hundreds of thousands who have arrived.
More than half of all refugees in South Sudan currently reside in Maban County, and another 135,000 live in the Ruweng Administrative Area. However, an increasing number of newly arrived refugees are choosing to settle in urban areas, presenting both opportunities and challenges for integration into local economies and communities.
UNHCR noted that 2024 has imposed unprecedented challenges on South Sudan. The ongoing crisis in Sudan has severely disrupted supply routes and oil exports, leading to soaring inflation and further weakening the economy. Prices of essentials, including food, have risen sharply, limiting available resources in host communities and making it extremely difficult to integrate the newcomers.
The UNHCR called for long-term solutions for refugees and asylum seekers, including access to identity documents, livelihood opportunities, and integration into national systems such as health and education. Additionally, stronger international support for permanent solutions, such as resettlement, is crucial.
The agency also urged the international community to increase financial assistance to UNHCR, which, as of this month, has only received 47 percent of the required funding.
Before April 2023, South Sudan was home to 275,000 refugees, most of whom had arrived from Sudan more than a decade ago. There are also around 2 million internally displaced South Sudanese, with three-quarters of the total population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
