UN seeks 468 million USD to support refugees in South Sudan in 2025

Juba, Dec 20 (IANS) The UN refugee agency along with 48 partners will require 468 million US dollars to support refugees and host communities in South Sudan in 2025, the agency said on Friday.

Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in South Sudan Marie-Helene Verney warned that the recent surge in arrivals in South Sudan is overwhelming services in border areas and funding for the humanitarian response remains insufficient.

"The lack of funding threatens efforts to address this new emergency and to meaningfully support new arrivals and the communities hosting them," Verney said in a statement.

According to the UNHCR official, nearly one million people have arrived in South Sudan since the start of the Sudan conflict in April 2023.

She said despite efforts to support this sudden influx, the humanitarian response remains woefully underfunded, with aid partners in South Sudan having received only 24 percent of what is needed to adequately meet people's needs this year.

Verney said after more than 20 months, the conflict in Sudan shows no sign of slowing down, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In less than three weeks, over 80,000 people have sought safety in South Sudan following the escalation of fighting in Sudan's White Nile, Sennar, and Blue Nile States -- more than tripling the average number of daily arrivals compared to previous weeks," Verney said.

As part of the response to this new influx, UNHCR and its partners are scaling up protection and assistance, notably as some of the areas receiving new arrivals lack the presence of humanitarian partners.

"Right now, we are concentrating on providing life-saving assistance, including providing water and basic health care," Verney said.

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