Juba, South Sudan – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in South Sudan was honoured to host the newly appointed IOM Regional Director for East, Horn, and Southern Africa, Mr. Franz Celestin, on a four-day visit from 10 to 14 November 2024. During his visit, the Regional Director met with representatives from the Government of South Sudan including His Excellency Ramadan Muhammed Abdallah Goc, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Her Excellency Angelina Teny, Minister of Interior and other senior government officials. He also held meetings with donors and the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator.

The visit focused on how IOM can continue to support the government of South Sudan in addressing challenges related to displacement, ongoing floods and other climate shocks, migration management, and durable solutions towards a peaceful and prosperous future.

“Our collaboration with the Government of South Sudan remains key in addressing the critical needs of communities affected by the ongoing floods and other climate shocks. Our discussions today, reaffirms IOM’s commitment to working together towards durable solutions and long-term development for the people of South Sudan,” said Franz Celestin, IOM’s Regional Director for East, Horn, and Southern Africa”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed his appreciation of IOM’s continuous support to host communities, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees. He commended IOM programmes that address the root causes of instability, lay foundations for peaceful coexistence, and empower local communities. Furthermore, the Minister praised IOM’s effort to support South Sudanese individuals, who are exhausted and resource-deprived and are fleeing Sudan and reaching their final destinations across various states through IOM’s Onward Transportation Assistance (OTA). To date, over 222,000 individuals have benefited from this assistance.

In addition to the high-level engagements in Juba, the Regional Director visited field locations where IOM is implementing and providing critical services such as health, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), camp management, displacement tracking, flood response and mitigation programs in Bentiu and Malakal. He further engaged directly with local authorities, beneficiaries, community members and staff members, enabling him to observe firsthand the realities on the ground and assess how IOM’s programmes can be further tailored to meet the evolving needs of South Sudanese communities.

South Sudan remains one of the most complex humanitarian contexts in the world, with over nine million people, including refugees in dire need whilst over 2.2 million people have been internally displaced due to conflict and climate-related challenges. IOM plays a critical role in providing lifesaving assistance, building resilience, and supporting recovery efforts throughout the country.

For more information, contact Cyprine Cheptepkeny on email: ccheptepkeny@iom.int or Nabie Loyce on email: nloyce@iom.int, Tell: +211 912380115