Juba – Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan Kiya Masahiko visited the Bentiu protection of civilians (PoC) site this week, where Government of Japan partners are providing humanitarian assistance to an estimated 115,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). With over 7.6 million people in need of aid across the country, the support of the Japanese people is critical to ensuring relief agencies have resources to reach those most in need.

Through more than $3.6 million, the Government of Japan supports IOM’s primary health care, emergency shelter and non-food items and water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in crisis-affected areas across the country, including at the Bentiu PoC site.

These frontline and rapid response activities respond to the most urgent needs, while support to relief item pipelines ensures lifesaving supplies reach partners quickly, particularly in remote locations affected by severe food insecurity.

At the PoC site, Ambassador Kiya spoke directly with the community to listen to their concerns and their visions of the future in South Sudan. While speaking with a group of women, Ambassador Kiya expressed his hopes that their families would be able to safely return home soon and assured them that he was working hard to promote peace in the country.

During the visit, Ambassador Kiya visited a registration centre where IOM is conducting a biometric registration of newborns and IDPs who have arrived at the site since late 2016. The site received a large influx of IDPs in late 2016 as insecurity in other parts of Unity forced thousands from their homes in search of protection.

Japan’s support to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) programme enables biometric registrations for displaced and vulnerable families, which help to improve IDP access to services and inform response planning.

The Japanese government also supports IOM’s role in the Beyond Bentiu approach, which seeks to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable in areas beyond the PoC site. IOM is currently undertaking DTM activities in Rubkona County to provide humanitarian partners with information required to provide targeted services outside of PoC site.

Download here.

For more information, please contact

Takanobu Nakahara, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in South Sudan, Email: takanobu.nakahara@mofa.go.jp

Ashley McLaughlin at IOM South Sudan, Tel: +211 922 405 716, Email: amclaughlin@iom.int