The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is in a struggle to finding a lasting solution to resettling millions of internally and externally displaced South Sudanese eager to return home due to relative calm stemming from the partial peace implementation.
The UN Refugee Agency says it was engaging the government to design comprehensive strategic plans to ensure safe and peaceful resettlement of returnees, including ensuring challenges of insecurity and flooding are addressed.
Ambassador, Mohamed Abdi Affey, UNHCR Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa revealed the organization’s willingness to support the government in addressing those challenges to ensure safety of returnees.
But insecurity, flooding and food insecurity in parts of the country remain major challenges to be addressed a head of returnees’ resettlement despite peace.
After meeting with Rebecca Nyandeng, the Vice President for Gender Cluster last Monday, the UNHCR Special Envoy told the media that the solution to the challenges could be found within the framework of IGAD.
“We want to assure the people of South Sudan and the government about the readiness of UNHCR to partner with the government in addressing the challenges the displaced persons continue to face,” said Abdi.
“There are challenges that refugees continue to face globally. We have challenges of resource mobilization but we are happy that the populations of South Sudan, despite the challenges, are confident and they live well in the countries that host them but they want to come back home. So we want to ensure that the government is assisted by the international communities to facilitate their safe return in the country,” he added.
“We discussed initiative and strategy to find comprehensive solutions for the displaced populations in the sub-region and those ones internationally displaced and we are happy that within the framework of IGAD and the countries that continue to host South Sudanese, solutions can be found for populations outside who really are eager and wish to come back and join their brothers and sisters in reconstruction of the country,” Abdi added.
Over 2.3 million South Sudanese, according to the refugees’ agency, living in displaced camps in neighboring Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Ethiopia and Central Africa Republic as well as in Sudan, want return to rebuild their livelihoods at home.
However, Chaat Paul Nul Executive Director in the office of the Vice President for Gender Cluster, welcomed the UNHCR’s initiative saying the plans were ready and awaiting support of the internationally community.
“The government has all the plans in place and the UNHCR and other organizations can come and assist,” said Paul.
South Sudan has been facing recurring challenges related to inter-communal conflicts, flooding and insurgence of National Salvation Front, exacerbating the already existing crisis characterized by food insecurity and lack of clean drinking water to thousands people in the country.