Khartoum

- The ADRA-IOM team in Kosti reported a total of 2,723 individuals (475 households) passing through the transit hub in spontaneous movements last week, representing a 40% increase over the previous week. Main destinations were in Upper Nile (48%), followed by Jonglei (16%), river ports along the Nile (12%) and Southern Kordofan (8%).

- During the reporting week, the ADRA-IOM team also tracked a total of 2,584 individuals in organized returns. The Abyei 'high committee' organized the return of 86 individuals from Khartoum. Meanwhile, the state government in Warrab co-ordinated the return of 1,928 individuals, Unity transported 240 and the SPLM organized the return of 330 from Khartoum to Northern Bahr el Ghazal. All these latter movements originated in Khartoum.

- On 8 December, the pusher Deleba left for Juba with one cargo and two passenger barges carrying 466 returnees (91 households) on board. At the close of the period, 1,564 individuals (286 households) remained at the wharf in Kosti awaiting southbound transport.

Abyei

- An exercise by WFP for the first phase of organized returns to Abyei from Khartoum and other northern states (an estimated 9,315 individuals) that began last week had verified a total of 6,025 returnees by 9 December. Food distribution to those verified was scheduled for 13 December.

- The international NGO AECOM has donated 24 motorbikes as part of its support to local government through a conflict-mitigation committee to resolve disputes at the village level.

Blue Nile

- FAO and the education ministry concluded a training course with women from Bao, Rosseires and Damazin Localities designed to teach milk and other food-processing techniques.

- A QIP in the amount of USD 13,078 designed for the construction of school latrines approved a pit latrine in a primary school in Agadi village (Tadamon Locality). The Integrated Team is currently working on a memorandum of understanding between UNMIS and the implementing partner in order to accelerate release of the funds.

- The Paralegal Association, a local NGO, recently organized a workshop in collaboration with PACT Sudan to train 35 participants from the Native Administration, as well as community leaders in Rosseires Locality, in local governance, leadership skills and humanitarian law, in addition to human rights issues. This training will be followed by similar exercises in others localities.

Southern Kordofan

- With the arrival of 76 returnees from Omdurman, Madani and Khartoum this week, the total for the year so far reached 9,703. Since 2005, the number of those returned has climbed to 398,672 individuals.

- Six of the Sector Co-ordination Group (SCG) meetings in the state were conducted this week. The next SCG meeting has been scheduled for 19-21 December in Kadugli.

- The national NGO, Vet-Care, together with the veterinary department in Abyei Locality, recently launched a 15-day training for 12 community animal-health workers in the western migratory corridor, to be followed by another 13 for other communities.

Darfur

- Last week, HAC in South Darfur reported that an operation to return 1,572 IDPs from Kalma to West Darfur had started with an initial group of around 220. With movements organized by the two state governments with UN support, WFP provided food rations to the returnees to promote reintegration.

- On 6-7 December, the UNDP Livelihood Programme organized a two-day workshop in Nyala on pottery and leather crafts in collaboration with the Community Development College of the university there. The event brought together 50 participants, including 21 women, from ministries, a women's association and the state chamber of commerce. The main of objective of the workshop was to discuss challenges to the production and marketing of pottery and leather crafts and strategies for improving the sector.