United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (South Sudan)

Earlier in 2018, attacks on UNHCR and other humanitarian compounds in Maban County had a negative impact on the operating environment in South Sudan, specifically affecting the delivery of protection and assistance to refugees.

Marked improvements in the security situation were noted almost countrywide following the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in September 2018; and a notable decline in active military engagements was reported by the end of the year. This improvement allowed humanitarian actors to operate with minimal interruptions except for a few areas in Central and Western Equatoria.

South Sudan adopted its national Refugee Act in 2012 and acceded to the 1969 OAU Convention in June 2016. Advocacy with parliamentarians and executive authorities in 2018 led to the President signing the accession instruments to the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol. In late 2018, South Sudan became the 143rd State to accede to both the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.

The number of spontaneous returns increased steadily, with up to 142,000 South Sudanese refugees reported to have spontaneously returned between November 2017 and December 2018. The majority – some 85% – of refugee returnees were unable to reach their places of origin or intended areas of return, and so most returned to areas already hosting large numbers of IDPs, placing greater strain on infrastructure and resources.