UNHCR: 1.3mln South Sudanese Refugees Return Home Amid Ongoing Instability
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported on Wednesday that some 1.33 million South Sudanese refugees have spontaneously returned home since a revitalized peace agreement was signed in October 2018, Xinhua reported yesterday.
According to the UNHCR’s latest update, 45,429 South Sudanese returnees were verified and reported in March 2024, a 12% increase from the previous month.
The agency attributed this rise to insecurity in countries of asylum, particularly Sudan, as well as food insecurity and a lack of employment opportunities, the source mentioned.
“The majority of the March returnees came from Sudan and Ethiopia,” the UNHCR stated.
As of March 31, 2024, the UNHCR reported that there are still 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees in the region, which includes neighboring countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic.
“The return of these refugees is a positive step, but the situation in South Sudan remains fragile,” said the UNHCR representative in Juba. “We continue to work with the government to ensure the safe and sustainable reintegration of all those who have come home.”
