‘1,000 Eritreans seek refuge in Sudan each month’: UNHCR
More than 1,000 Eritrean refugees each month arrived in eastern Sudan during 2014, following an increase in the number of arrivals since the beginning of this year, the UN Refugee Agency reported. “The trend seems to continue in November.” Also in Ethiopia the number of Eritrean refugees has increased sharply. 10,701 Eritreans have sought refuge in Sudan since the beginning of 2014, including 1,259 during the month of October. There were a total of 109,594 Eritrean refugees in Sudan at the end of last month, according to the refugee agency UNHCR. It reported that the increase seems to continue, with more than 1,200 Eritreans having arrived in Ethiopia during the first week of November. Last month, 78 children arrived on their own, and 90 percent of the arrivals was between 18-24 years old. ‘Sudan hosts refugees 40 years’The majority of the refugees in Sudan remain in refugee camps in the eastern part of the country (Gedaref and Kassala localities), with smaller numbers in the capital Khartoum. Sudan has hosted Eritrean refugees for more than forty years, which makes it one of Africa’s most protracted refugee situations, the UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday. “Growing numbers of the predominantly young refugees in Ethiopia and Sudan have become frustrated with the shortage of services and absence of self-reliance opportunities in the camps. There is a limited funding for the Eritrean refugee programme in both countries,” Edwards said. “Many fall prey to unscrupulous smugglers and put themselves in danger by trying to cross the Mediterranean on overcrowded and unsafe boats.” The spokesman stressed the need to boost education and livelihood opportunities for the refugees in Sudan and Ethiopia, to prevent Eritreans from attempting to move on and falling in the hands of smugglers. Thus far in 2014, nearly 37,000 Eritreans have sought refuge in Europe, compared with almost 13,000 during the same period last year, UNHCR said.File photo: Eritrean refugees arriving at Kilo 26 refugee camp in eastern Sudan (Fred Noy / UNHCR)Related: Sudan calls for support with combating human trafficking (17 October 2014) Sudan police hand Eritrean refugees to traffickers to torture: report (11 February 2014)
More than 1,000 Eritrean refugees each month arrived in eastern Sudan during 2014, following an increase in the number of arrivals since the beginning of this year, the UN Refugee Agency reported. “The trend seems to continue in November.”
Also in Ethiopia the number of Eritrean refugees has increased sharply. 10,701 Eritreans have sought refuge in Sudan since the beginning of 2014, including 1,259 during the month of October. There were a total of 109,594 Eritrean refugees in Sudan at the end of last month, according to the refugee agency UNHCR.
It reported that the increase seems to continue, with more than 1,200 Eritreans having arrived in Ethiopia during the first week of November. Last month, 78 children arrived on their own, and 90 percent of the arrivals was between 18-24 years old.
‘Sudan hosts refugees 40 years’
The majority of the refugees in Sudan remain in refugee camps in the eastern part of the country (Gedaref and Kassala localities), with smaller numbers in the capital Khartoum. Sudan has hosted Eritrean refugees for more than forty years, which makes it one of Africa’s most protracted refugee situations, the UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday.
“Growing numbers of the predominantly young refugees in Ethiopia and Sudan have become frustrated with the shortage of services and absence of self-reliance opportunities in the camps. There is a limited funding for the Eritrean refugee programme in both countries,” Edwards said. “Many fall prey to unscrupulous smugglers and put themselves in danger by trying to cross the Mediterranean on overcrowded and unsafe boats.”
The spokesman stressed the need to boost education and livelihood opportunities for the refugees in Sudan and Ethiopia, to prevent Eritreans from attempting to move on and falling in the hands of smugglers. Thus far in 2014, nearly 37,000 Eritreans have sought refuge in Europe, compared with almost 13,000 during the same period last year, UNHCR said.
File photo: Eritrean refugees arriving at Kilo 26 refugee camp in eastern Sudan (Fred Noy / UNHCR)
Related:
Sudan calls for support with combating human trafficking (17 October 2014)
Sudan police hand Eritrean refugees to traffickers to torture: report (11 February 2014)
and then