HIGHLIGHTS
The South Sudan Government and the Opposition (SPLM-IO) have endorsed the inclusion of new parties to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) led peace process aimed to end the conflict in the youngest African nation. The new IGAD-Plus initiative will now incorporate the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union, China and the Troika (United Kingdom, United States of America, and Norway). It will also include five African countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Chad, and Rwanda) each representing different blocs of the continent, which will participate actively under the IGAD’s expanded mediation process.
Some 14,000 South Sudanese (mainly women and children) have fled into Sudan from 12-14 June. A key priority for the humanitarian community is to prepare for the upcoming rainy season, which is due to start in the coming weeks and will further complicate operations. Rapid scaling up of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions is critical as rains will also heighten the risk of water-borne diseases such as dysentery and cholera.
The Regional Government in Gambella (Ethiopia) gave the approval for Pugnido II to be developed into a refugee camp to receive newly arriving South Sudanese refugees as well as those already in the reception centers. UNHCR and the Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) will soon start developing the new site, which is located some 4km away from the older Pugnido camp.
On 19 June, the Governor of Turkana County (Kenya) officially handed over the land for a new camp in Kalobeyei, 20 km from Kakuma. The terms of agreement were signed by the UNHCR Kenya Representative, the MP for Turkana-West, the Commissioner of the Department of Refugee Affairs (DRA) and Turkana County Secretary in the presence of the Governor and other government officials. This comes after a year of negotiations between UNHCR, DRA, the County and sub-county officials and the local community.