OCHA: 200,000 South Sudanese refugees expected in Sudan in 2018

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 200,000 South Sudanese refugees are expected in Sudan in 2018.

A 2018 South Sudanese Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) was launched in early February, targeting an estimated 200,000 refugee arrivals in Sudan in 2018. Continued fighting, limited humanitarian assistance and extreme levels of food insecurity are forcing citizens of South Sudan to seek refuge, safety and access to food and basic services in neighbouring countries.

OCHA reports in its latest biweekly bulletin that as the South Sudanese refugee response enters its fifth year, there is a need to move beyond just emergency response, and focus on longer-term solutions that will strengthen resilience and allow the refugees to become more self-reliant. Camp-based assistance will continue to be provided in established camps, with a move towards more durable infrastructure.

At the same time, greater emphasis will be placed on addressing refugee needs in out-of-camp locations, with a view to expand community-based assistance to support host communities and ensure refugees are able to continue living outside of camps if they choose.

One of the main objectives of the RRRP focus on maintaining an emergency response capacity to ensure immediate protection responses and address the urgent needs of new arrivals in 2018.

'Open border policy'

According to the humanitarian office of the UN, the Government of Sudan maintains an open border policy for the refugees, ensuring unfettered access, immediate protection and safety within Sudan’s borders. The response strategy for 2018 focuses on assistance for new arrivals, while at the same time addressing ongoing needs of the existing refugee caseload, including those in out-of-camp locations.