Juba, South Sudan - UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) welcomes new funding by the European Union (EU) to support the integration and well-being of thousands of people who have fled the ongoing flighting in Sudan and found safety in South Sudan. Going beyond lifesaving interventions, this funding will enable refugees and returnees, as well as communities that host them, to access national services such as health and education, in addition to economic opportunities that will improve their self-reliance.

In the eight months since conflict started in Sudan, over 420,000 people have crossed the border into South Sudan in search of protection and assistance. However, the conditions in the locations in which people are arriving are extremely dire, with access to basic services limited and lagging infrastructure that make the humanitarian response extremely challenging.

“South Sudan has always been a generous host to refugees and is keeping its doors open to those fleeing the conflict in Sudan. This contribution is a demonstration of solidarity with South Sudan and the communities that are now hosting refugees and returnees” said Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR Representative. “Humanitarian action alone is not enough to address the enormous needs, early engagement of development partners such as the EU is welcome and needed to help people rebuild their life and restore their dignity and self-reliance.” 

With these funds, the government of South Sudan will be supported to integrate returnees and refugees, expand national basic services, in line with national policies and the upcoming Global Refugee Forum in December 2023. On 6 December, South Sudan’s government announced 6 pledges to improve the lives of those forced to flee and communities that host them in preparation for the forum.

“The war in Sudan is taking its toll on South Sudan and other neighboring countries alike. This new funding reaffirms the EU’s willingness to provide tangible support to host countries. Through this regional programme, the EU intends to be forward-looking and ambitious in its response to the displacement crisis, complementing lifesaving humanitarian interventions with early-on, longer-term development support.” said Timo Olkonnen, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of South Sudan. “The programme aims at including refugees and returnees in service delivery systems, while improving their livelihoods and ensuring peaceful coexistence with host communities, in synergy with other EU funded initiatives on forced displacement. It will improve living conditions of those forced to flee, and at the same time contribute to security and stability in the region.”

This funding will also be used to provide livelihoods support, particularly to youth and women – including training on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, as well as support to access funds to set up businesses.  Farmers will also receive climate-resilient seeds, as well as training on topics such as food processing and conservation, business management, marketing, and commercialization. Investments will also be made in efforts to promote local development and encourage peaceful coexistence between forcibly displaced people and local communities.

“This funding, received at the start of the emergency, is a good example of the humanitarian, development and peace nexus and provides displaced population with direct support to restart their lives in a more sustainable manner,” said John McCue, IOM South Sudan Acting Chief of Mission.     

The regional program will be jointly implemented by UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM) and will run from December 2023 to June 2025.

South Sudan hosts more than 2.2 million internally displaced persons and over 337,000 refugees. Since the start of the conflict in Sudan on the 15 April 2023, over 425,985 individuals have crossed the border into South Sudan. UNHCR, IOM and partners continue to urge for more support to assist and enhance solutions for those affected by the crisis.

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For more information on this topic, please contact:

For UNHCR, Gift Friday Noah, noah@unhcr.org +211 922654219

For IOM, For IOM, Loyce Gabriel, nloyce@iom.int, + 211921708535

For the European Union, Francis Apiliga Lagu, Francis-Apiliga.LAGU@eeas.europa.eu, +211928184384