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The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the European Union signed a $7 million (around SSP4.3 billion) initiative to assist South Sudanese returnees in resettling in neighbouring countries.
According to Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR’s country representative, the funding arrangement for the Solutions Initiative is for three years and focuses on places that
Arafat stated that the main objective of the project is to provide displaced persons and local communities with access to protection centres and self-reliance-oriented support that encourages reintegration, peace, and development. The project must be completed in a safe, sensitive to interpersonal conflicts, and environmentally responsible manner.
He said the UNHCR had identified seven counties in South Sudan where large numbers of people have returned to their communities. The places which he referred to as ‘pockets of hope’, had a little conflict, little environmental damage, little famine, and strong government support.
The UN agency said that in Eastern Equatoria State’s Torit and Magwi counties, for instance, almost 100,000 South Sudanese have returned since the peace accord was signed in 2018.
Arafat said the agreement represents a vision of growth, productivity, and hopes for South Sudan, with a focus on those places where there is production and a chance to improve the lives of the people.
“They vaulted on their feet, took the decision on their own, and came back, and we showed them ourselves. We talked to them, and they are not wasting time, they are investing in their country, in their communities, developing and flourishing. We want to do is make sure that people like them are enabled to build their livelihoods even further,” he said.
“We have pockets of hope along the border with Uganda; we have them in the north next to Sudan, and we also have them in the east next to Ethiopia.”
“This is the concept of the pockets of hopes, so part of the agreement with the European Union is actually investing in these pockets,’’ he commented.
“Recently, we have been working with the European Union on many levels on this, conceptually, strategically, but also practically,” Arafat stated.
Timo Olkkonen, the ambassador of the European Union to South Sudan, visited Unity State, Ruweng Administrative Area, Torit, and Magwi this week as part of his first official visit outside of Juba since being assigned to the country. He noted that the visits were both very interesting and extremely concerning because there is still much work to be done in South Sudan.
“Of course, the humanitarian emergency is much more severe, and we must assist the people of South Sudan in meeting the challenges that they face today, but we must also move forward in terms of development in terms of how we can support them in the medium and long term,” he said.
Timo reaffirmed the EU’s ongoing support for returnees having paperwork that upholds their rights. By , The City Review
