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Over US$1.4 billion needed for South Sudan refugees in 2017

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees May 15, 2017
Over US$1.4 billion needed for South Sudan refugees in 2017

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The UN Refugee Agency and the World Food Programme today urged donors to step up support for desperate refugees fleeing South Sudan. Humanitarian agencies are seeking US$ 1.4 billion to provide life-saving aid to South Sudanese refugees in the six neighbouring countries until the end of 2017 – according to an updated response plan presented in Geneva.

The South Sudanese refugee response plan so far remains only 14 per cent funded.The situation in South Sudan continues to worsen – with a combination of conflict, drought and famine leading to further displacement and a rapid exodus of people fleeing one of the world’s most severe crises.

“The suffering of the South Sudanese people is just unimaginable. They are close to the abyss. Violence is at the root of this crisis. Aid workers often cannot reach the most vulnerable hungry people. Many are dying from hunger and disease, many more have fled their homeland for safety abroad,” WFP Executive Director David Beasley.

South Sudan has now become the world’s fastest-growing refugee crisis, with more than 1.8 million refugees – including one million children – having sought safety in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic.

Children are being screened for malnutrition at a health center in Nyumanzi refugee settlement in Adjumani District of Northern Uganda. ©UNHCR
Children are being screened for malnutrition at a health center in Nyumanzi refugee settlement in Adjumani District of Northern Uganda. ©UNHCR

The current rate of people fleeing South Sudan exceeds the humanitarian community’s already pessimistic estimates. For example, the number of people fleeing to Sudan in March surpassed the expected figure for the entire year. Uganda is also seeing higher than expected arrivals and at this rate is likely to soon host over one million South Sudanese refugees.

With acute underfunding, humanitarian agencies are struggling to provide food, water, nutrition support, shelter and health services to refugees. Communities hosting refugees are among the world’s poorest and are under immense pressure.

“Helping refugees is not just about providing emergency aid. It also means supporting governments and communities in neighbouring countries to shore up services and economies in the areas receiving them,”  UNHCR’s Grandi.

UNHCR coordinates the overall response with governments, humanitarian agencies as well as with refugees and host communities. Currently Uganda hosts some 898,000 refugees, with 375,000 in Sudan, 375,000 in Ethiopia, 97,000 in Kenya, 76,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and 2,200 in Central African Republic (CAR).