HIGHLIGHTS
The South Sudanese Government delegation began consultative talks in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) prior to the African Union (AU) Heads of State Summit in South Africa (16-17 June 2015). The Summit is expected to discuss the proposed new format of the talks including the Troika countries (United States of America, United Kingdom and Norway), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), China and five other members of the AU.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) informed the refugee leaders in the four Maban’s camps about the 30 per cent reduction of the food ration starting in August 2015 due to funding shortfall. Food’s air deliveries have stopped (airlift contract completed), hence prospects for full ration in July 2015 also appear limited. Seed distribution is planned to start in all camps to cater for food security and livelihoods alternative to the General Food Distribution (GFD). To mitigate the impact of this reduction, UNHCR and its partners ACTED and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) are currently distributing seeds, with refugees sensitized to ensure they are used for cultivation on the land recently allocated by the host community. It is expected that these seeds’ distribution will assist refugees in covering the ration gap and perhaps produce surplus.
As heavy rains and flooding threaten the Protection of Civilians (POC) site in Bentiu (Unity State), displaced people are being relocated to a larger site with better drainage. The exercise began on 29 May and some 3,841 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from 602 household received new plots. UNHCR, the International Organization of Migration (IOM), DRC, Concern Worldwide and German Agro Action are assisting with the relocation. The United Nations Mission In South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are coordinating the activity.