HIGHLIGHTS
• About 55,500 South Sudanese have arrived in Sudan since late January – equivalent of almost 1,000 people per day.
• Close to half of the new South Sudanese arrivals are in Khor Omer camp in East Darfur.
• Government issues directive that South Sudanese living with host communities in border areas in White Nile State to move to refugee sites in the state.
• Displaced people from Jebel Marra continue to receive humanitarian assistance.
• A $60 million agreement signed to support procuring life-saving medicines and other health commodities for Sudan.
FIGURES 2015 HRP
Displaced people in Sudan (as of Dec 2014) 3.1 million
Displaced people in Darfur (as of Dec 2014) 2.5 million
GAM burden 2 million
South Sudanese refugee arrivals in Sudan - since 15 Dec 2013 (UNHCR) - as of 31 March 222,665
Refugees of other nationalities (UNHCR) 173,441
FUNDING
73.7 million* US$ received in 2016
About 55,500 South Sudanese arrive in Sudan in two months
The influx of South Sudanese into East Darfur, South Darfur and West Kordofan continues, with an estimated 55,500 people having arrived in the country since the end of January 2016, according to aid organisations. This is equivalent to almost 1,000 people per day. They reportedly left South Sudan’s Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Eastern Bahr El Ghazal and Warrap states due to food insecurity, as a result of armed conflict, the failure of the agricultural season and the unavailability of food and high prices of cereals. Most of the new arrivals, about 43,300 people, have arrived in East Darfur. The remaining South Sudanese have arrived in South Darfur (3,800) and West Kordofan (8,400).
While the response to meet the humanitarian needs of the new arrivals is ongoing, preparedness efforts for a potentially continuing influx are being made. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is currently preparing a preparedness plan (covering South Darfur, East Darfur and West Kordofan) using a planning figure of 120,000 until the end of June.
About 43,300 South Sudanese arrive in East Darfur
Almost half of all the South Sudanese who arrived in Sudan over the past two months have settled in Khor Omer camp in Ed Daein, capital of East Darfur State. As of 2 April, 27,890 people had been registered in Khor Omer camp by a committee led by the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS). On 3 April, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) started the verification of the new South Sudanese arrivals in Khor Omer. The organisation trained 50 enumerators to conduct this verification.
While the verification is ongoing, aid organisations are assisting the people in need in Khor Omer. By 2 April, the World Food Programme (WFP) and SRCS had distributed food to 22,660 people (81 per cent of the new arrivals) in the camp and distributions are ongoing. Health and nutrition services are available at the camp through one clinic supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) and the State Ministry of Health (SMoH). However, an ambulance, additional medicines for curative and reproductive health care, an in-patient ward at the primary health care centre and measles vaccines are urgently required, along with an additional temporary health facility. WHO, UNICEF and SMoH are looking into the issue of vaccination against measles and polio and vitamin A supplements for children between six month and 15 years. WHO has committed for the costs of the first round of vaccinations. UNICEF will provide vitamin A and negotiations are ongoing for receiving vaccines from the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Access to safe water remains one of the main challenges in Khor Omer despite a slight improvement in the water supply compared to the previous week. In this first phase of delivering aid, organisations aim to deliver 7.5 litres per person per day (l/p/d) which amounts to 209,175 litres of water for 27,890 people daily. The national NGO ASSIST is trucking in 21,000 litres of water per day and the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is trucking in an additional 6,000 of litres. On 7 April, the international NGO ZOA plans to start trucking in an additional 10,000 litres of water per day for 15 days. However, as South Sudanese continue to arrive, gaps in water supply are expected to increase. The SMoH and the Government’s Water and Environmental Sanitation Department (WES) have so far built 11 out of the planned 15 communal latrines. Only 700 families have received emergency household supplies there are still about 6,000 families who have not received these supplies. So far, no shelter materials have been distributed and the new arrivals are either living with relatives or under trees. Plans for an inter-agency mission to the area are in progress and UNHCR continues to advocate with government authorities for direct access to East Darfur to support the ongoing response.