£2 million UK grant for South Sudanese Refugee Response in Sudan

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) welcomed a recent contribution of £2 million ($2.5 million) to its programme from the Government of the United Kingdom to respond to the needs of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan.

In a statement from Khartoum today, the UNHCR says it is is using the funds to purchase non-food items, such as blankets, sleeping mats and cooking kits, which help refugees cook and collect water for basic survival. The kits will be prepositioned and provided mainly to newly arriving South Sudanese refugees in White Nile and East Darfur states, as well as other areas, in coordination with Sudan’s Commission for Refugees (COR).

Since January 2017, over 35,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan surpassing the initial expectations of UNHCR and its partners.

Welcoming the contribution, UNHCR’s Representative in Sudan, Noriko Yoshida, said: “The United Kingdom’s support for South Sudanese refugees has been unwavering. Since 2014 when South Sudanese refugees started arriving in large numbers, the government and people of the United Kingdom have provided over £8 million (around US$10 million) to UNHCR in support of South Sudanese refugees.  This is a major and timely contribution to our efforts to respond to the urgent and growing needs of South Sudanese refugees”.

Dr. Christopher Pycroft, Head of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in Sudan welcomed the ongoing response by UNHCR and its partners saying: “The UK is committed to assisting South Sudanese refugees in Sudan, of which 85% are vulnerable women and children. Since 2014, the UK Government has worked with UNHCR and partners to give 164,200 South Sudanese refugees food assistance, vital water and sanitation infrastructure and shelter for new arrivals, helping restore their dignity and rebuild their lives. We will continue to provide this support. ”

Sudan has continued to open its borders to refugees seeking safety in the country. South Sudanese refugees continue to need international protection in the region.

UNHCR is assisting over 450,000 refugees in Sudan through emergency assistance and other activities.  There are 332,000 refugees from South Sudan, mostly women and children, who have arrived since December 2013.