HIGHLIGHTS
- In the first week of April, an additional 1,000 South Sudanese were reported to have arrived in Kharasana, West Kordofan, but have not yet been verified. Many of them have reportedly arrived from Khartoum in response to the recent directive in Sudan stating that South Sudanese are to be treated as foreigners.
- The influx of South Sudanese into Sudan continues with 51,974 arrivals since the end of January 2016 into three states: East Darfur (41,170 arrivals), South Darfur (4,125 arrivals) and West Kordofan (6,679 arrivals).
- In East Darfur’s Khor Omer IDP camp, where nearly half of the new arrivals have settled, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) completed a verification exercise on 11 April. Some 24,944 individuals (6,249 households) were verified, which is less than the previously reported registration figures. The rate of arrivals has slightly decreased in the past week, with about 300-400 household arrivals per week.
- A joint mission by UNHCR, the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to the areas in East Darfur hosting the recent influx is planned to commence on 17 April. The mission coincides with ongoing discussions between UNHCR and local authorities regarding establishment of border reception centres and a new hosting site in East Darfur to cater to the new arrivals.
- Arrivals into White Nile State are continuing in parallel to the new influx, with a total of 965 new South Sudanese arrivals recorded in the State in the first half of April.
- Development of the new Al Waral site is progressing on track, with layout of the camp finalized and demarcation of plots for the initial 2,000 households completed.
KEY FIGURES
221,322 South Sudanese arrivals in Sudan since 15 December 2013.
* This figure does not include a number of South Sudanese living with host communities. These statistics will be determined following individual registration in host communities.
72,122 Number of South Sudanese arrivals residing in the seven sites of White Nile State, as per UNHCR individual registration.
145,200 Number of South Sudanese residing in Khartoum open areas as per IPP and Civil Registry (As of 22 February 2016).
PRIORITIES
Ongoing response to arrivals in West Kordofan and White Nile State.
Assessment and response to the influx of South Sudanese in East and South Darfur.
Establishment of a new site in Al Waral, White Nile State to address congestion at existing sites.
Update on Achievements
Operational Context
The influx of South Sudanese into Sudan continues, with 51,974 new arrivals in East Darfur, South Darfur and West Kordofan since the end of January 2016, based on verified and unverified figures. The large population movements are a result of worsening food insecurity in South Sudan due to a prolonged dry spell that has reduced crop harvests and ongoing violence that continues to displace populations and disrupt livelihoods, trade and the delivery of aid. South Sudanese are arriving into Sudan in desperate need of food and safety, having endured long and difficult journeys and fled dire conditions in their areas of origin. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projections for South Sudan, an estimated 2.8 million people throughout the country faced acute food and nutrition insecurity between January and March 2016. In Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states, where a majority of the arrivals are coming from, some 540,000 people fell within the Crisis classification of food insecurity during the first quarter of the year, a time when food security historically tends to be the strongest.
While response to the arrivals has been ongoing since the start of the influx, UNHCR in coordination with partners has developed a response plan covering East Darfur, South Darfur, West Kordofan as well as White Nile State to scale-up efforts in preparation for further arrivals. The new influx is expected to continue until the onset of the rainy season with the total number of arrivals anticipated to reach 120,000 by the end of June: 100,000 arrivals in East and South Darfur and 20,000 arrivals in West Kordofan. These planning figures are in addition the continuous flow of South Sudanese into White Nile State, which is expected to receive 50,000 arrivals throughout the course of 2016 including individuals coming directly from South Sudan and those relocating from other areas in Khartoum.
In East Darfur, the number of arrivals has reached 41,170. Response activities so far have been concentrated in Khor Omer IDP camp, which continues to host the majority of the arrivals—24,944 individuals according to the IOM verification exercise completed on 11 April. Food distribution by WFP to all new arrivals in the camp is ongoing, with completion expected shortly. Approximately 27,000 litres of water is being trucked into the camp daily by UNAMID and ASSIST; and additional community latrines have been constructed. However as the number of arrivals continues to grow, gaps in access to water and sanitation are expected to persist. UNHCR is currently mobilizing resources to fill the urgent gap in non-food items, and plans to distribute these supplies to the new arrivals in Khor Omer in the coming days. To date, only 700 families in Khor Omer have received non-food items. There is also critical gap in protection services, with large numbers of children and women among the arrivals including an estimated 300 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). Identification and support for UASC and family tracing remains a top priority. Arrivals to other areas of East Darfur are scattered throughout villages in several localities, primarily in Adila (6,042 individuals), Abu Jabra (3,295 individuals) and Asalaya (2,531 individuals). No assistance has yet reached these arrivals, however an interagency mission led by HAC to assess needs and facilitate response activities in these areas is being planned. A joint mission comprising UNHCR-COR-SRCS is also planned to all affected areas in East Darfur, set to begin on 17 April. The mission will discuss possible establishment of reception centres and a new site in East Darfur to host the recent arrivals. In tandem with these discussions, UNHCR continues to advocate for direct access to East Darfur to support and coordinate response efforts on the ground.
In South Darfur, 4,125 arrivals (674 households) have been registered by the Government’s Commissioner for Refugees (COR) in Bielel locality. Reports from the first week of April indicate the arrival of an additional 48 households, approximately 240 individuals, who have yet to be registered. On 29 March, an inter-agency assessment conducted in Bielel IDP camp, where the arrivals are staying, identified all forms of basic needs, with limited access to water and sanitation facilities and shelter. The arrivals are able to access free health services in the health clinic in Bielel camp operated by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA). All 674 registered families have received non-food items from UNHCR and will soon receive food rations from WFP. Distribution of shelter materials has not yet been authorized by the authorities, and it remains unclear if the arrivals will be permitted to settle in the area of arrival.
In West Kordofan, new arrivals from South Sudan have settled in El Meriam and Kharasana, joining existing South Sudanese communities who had previously fled to the areas. In Kharasana, HAC reported 3,920 new arrivals as of late March, bringing the total South Sudanese population in the area to 9,100. A further 1,000 individuals, as yet unregistered, reportedly arrived in Kharasana in early April. Most of these arrivals are said to be coming from Khartoum as a result of the recent government decree stating South Sudanese are to be considered as foreigners and as a consequence no longer allowed to stay in the Khartoum open areas. Significant gaps persist in the area, particularly in access to water, sanitation and health services. WFP has begun a verification exercise in Kharasana to prepare for distribution of food assistance. In El Meriam, HAC has reported 3,389 new arrivals since the end of January, bringing the total South Sudanese population in the area to 5,155 as of 11 April. During 13-20 March, WFP verified a total population of 4,015 South Sudanese, 1,559 of which were new arrivals, during a rapid food security assessment in El Meriam. Most of the new arrivals were found to be staying either with relatives among the existing South Sudanese population or in empty shops in the main market, with a smaller number of families scattered in locations surrounding the town. The assessment reported very poor food consumption among the South Sudanese arrivals with diets composed chiefly of cereals and sugar, acquired primarily from begging or donations. Significant malnutrition was observed during the middle-upper arm circumference (MUAC) screening, and some arrivals report poorer access to food than in their areas of origin. The hygiene situation is also very poor with open defecation widely practiced. WFP is on standby to deliver emergency food rations and emergency Blanket Supplementary Food Programme (eBSFP) to the new arrivals, pending permission from authorities. Seasonal food support for the old arrivals is also planned, whose poor food security situation has been further exacerbated by the demand of the new arrivals. UNHCR has distributed non-food items to 450 of the newly arrived families in El Meriam. Further response is being planned to improve access to water and hygiene situation, and to implement a systematic registration exercise that will facilitate better identification of persons with special needs and targeting of assistance. Urgent support is also needed for the health and nutrition center in El Meriam, which lacks adequate supplies of medicines, equipment and beds.