Juba, South Sudan – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), together with the Government of South Sudan’s Ministries of Finance and Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management with financial grant from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been providing cash-based assistance to internally displaced populations and returnees fleeing the fighting in Sudan into South Sudan.  

IOM partnered with the Government of South Sudan to implement a USD 5 million project by providing cash-based assistance to over 44,800 vulnerable returnees and internally displaced persons in South Sudan aiming to address their urgent basic needs like food, transportation, shelter, and sanitation; it also contributed to increase of household savings that will help the families’ (re)settlement.

Over 480,000 individuals have fled from Sudan to South Sudan since the outbreak of fighting in Sudan on 15 April 2023. The vast majority of them are returning South Sudanese who have lost everything they owned during the fighting and are now returning to areas with limited essential services and into communities with limited coping capacities. In addition, inflation in South Sudan has heavily impacted markets across the country, leading to a rapid increase in the prices of essential commodities, including food.

“The conflict in Sudan has affected the already fragile economic outlook of South Sudan particularly for northern States that rely heavily on imports from Sudan, leading to an increase in food prices and fuel costs and exacerbating protection risks, food insecurity and negative coping mechanisms”, said John McCue IOM South Sudan Acting Chief of Mission.

“The project's overall objective was to support the efforts of the Government of South Sudan in addressing acute humanitarian needs of vulnerable displaced population, including returnees fleeing from the Sudan crisis, through providing cash-based assistance” added John McCue.

The six -month Cash Based Intervention project that started in June through December 2023 included one-time voucher and cash assistance for transportation to areas of return, multipurpose cash assistance and in-kind assistance, including the distribution of Shelter and Water Sanitation Hygiene items like plastic sheets, blankets, mosquito nets, rubber robes to aid the construction of temporary emergency shelters. Under WASH activities, this project supported the supply and distribution of safe and clean drinking water with a daily volume of 210,000 litres for the displaced population at the Transit Center in Renk.  

Cash-based programming has proven effective in reaching the most vulnerable populations and offers an effective alternative to other assistance modalities, allowing beneficiaries to make decisions in an individualized and dignified manner.

For more information, please contact Nabie Loyce in IOM South Sudan, Tel: +211 9123 80115, email: nloyce@iom.int