The growing refugee crisis in South Sudan is likely to worsen as a result of renewed fighting in Sudan, International Development Minister Lynne Featherstone warned today.
The ongoing conflicts in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile have already resulted in 170,000 people having to leave their homes. Visiting the UN’s Jusuf Batil refugee camp in the Upper Nile State of South Sudan, the Minister saw first hand how thousands of families are now being provided with shelter, food, clean water and urgent medical care.
Lynne Featherstone said:
“It is impossible not to be shocked by what I have seen today and I am very concerned how more fighting in the days and months to come will increase the refugee crisis.
“I have seen the care and commitment from the agencies on the ground to helping those who have lost everything. But the suffering I have seen only reinforces the urgent need for all parties to commit to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict through face-to-face negotiation.
“Only through committing to a peaceful solution will people be able to return home and live in peace and dignity.”
During the Minister’s visit to South Sudan, she will also discuss with senior UN, donor and government figures the ways in which co-ordination could be further improved and how funding can be assured for aid agencies responding to this growing crisis. This will include making sure the response to the humanitarian situation is increasingly coordinated to ensure aid is provided in a sustainable and well-planned way.
170,000 refugees have fled into South Sudan from the fighting in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states and are now based in two camps in the Upper Nile and Unity states.
The UK is the third largest humanitarian donor in South Sudan providing support through the Common Humanitarian Fund and the World Food Programme Emergency Operation.
As well as providing assistance to the refugee camps in South Sudan, the UK is supporting efforts to bring the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North together to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict and to agree a cessation of hostilities. This would then allow for full humanitarian access to those people remaining in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.
Notes to editors
1 . The UK is a leading donor to humanitarian causes in South Sudan. In July, DFID announced a new support package to provide South Sudan with:
Primary health care including vaccinations and emergency treatment for 204,300 people
Urgent food and nutritional supplements for 113,125 malnourished children
Clean, safe drinking water and sanitation for 163,000 people
Emergency shelter and other basic equipment to 56,750 people
Food and agricultural supplies to 134,600 people
Physical rehabilitation support for more than 300 injured survivors of violent assaults with weapons.
2 . Current British support includes £31 million to the Common Humanitarian Fund, announced today; £10 million to the World Food Programme; £2 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross; and £2 million to train NGOs through RedR.
3 . Britain is currently providing support to the populations in South Kordofan and Blue Nile through the limited agencies that are allowed by the Government of Sudan to access these areas. This is through the Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Britain has been lobbying for full and impartial access to both government-held and SPLM North-held areas of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, to allow for the unconstrained delivery of humanitarian assistance.
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