Attachments
Key Highlights
- Daily arrivals from Sudan have decreased to an average of 1,100 a day, including through the informal border crossings, compared to an average of 1,500 days the preceding week. New arrivals continue proceeding onward from the official and unofficial border locations, some reaching Renk.
- The Rapid Intention Survey conducted at the Wunthou-Joda border on December 27-28, 2024, indicates that in the short-term both refugees and returnees prefer to remain in South Sudan, while 35% of refugees and 6% of returnees intend to return to Sudan. In the mid-term, the preference for integration in South Sudan grows, with 32% of refugees and 6% of returnees intending to return to Sudan, while 30% of returnees plan to stay at their current location.
- The partners have scaled up WASH, and mobile services for health, nutrition, and protection assistance in the communities hosting new arrivals. The assistance targets the entire community to promote peaceful coexistence. However, the resources remain limited and not sufficient to meet the needs of increasing population. Additional funding is urgently required to continue the provision of life-saving services like protection, WASH, health and nutrition.
Situation Overview
The number of new arrivals per day has declined over the past week, averaging approximately 1,100 individuals daily. Conversely, the outflow to Sudan via the Wunthou-Joda border has risen, driven primarily by food distributions in refugee camps in Sudan. Due to inadequate water and other essential services in border communities east of Renk County, new arrivals are moving to Chemmedi, Gossfami, Halaka, Rumela, and Gerger. Meanwhile, the number of returnees and refugees arriving through informal border crossings and seeking registration in Renk has also increased over the past week.
also increased over the past week. Returnees and refugees report challenges in travelling back to Sudan, as only those heading to specific locations—such as Rabak, Kosti, and Jebelyn—are permitted to cross, provided they possess travel documents issued by authorities. These documents cost 10,000 SSP for South Sudanese citizens and 5,000 SSP for individuals on the Sudanese side, further complicating mobility.
Local authorities and host communities continue to demonstrate commendable generosity by providing community land for temporary settlement. However, this support is increasingly strained by resource shortages, including limited water, health, protection, and nutrition services.
In Gerbena, reports indicate an increase in protection incidents among new arrivals, including intimate partner violence. Many newcomers turn to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, such as those facilitated by Sheikhs and Umdas, to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and child protection cases. Law enforcement struggles with a lack of investigators and overcrowded detention facilities. Consequently, community-based dispute resolution mechanisms led by the Boma administrator, Sheikhs, and Umdas continue to handle minor crimes, family disputes, and domestic violence through ADR approaches.
Health centres in Gerbena and Chemmedi remain overwhelmed by high caseloads of malaria and chronic illnesses, compounded by a shortage of medical personnel and persistent supply shortages. The maternity ward in Gerbena is severely overstretched with minimal capacity. Meanwhile, access to water around the Wunthou-Joda border crossing, where over 30,000 returnees and refugees have settled, remains inadequate, exacerbating health risks such as cholera and tensions with host communities over limited resources.
In Gerbena, cases of malnutrition among children and pregnant and lactating mothers have increased, further straining available services. This evolving situation underscores the urgent need for enhanced partner presence and resource mobilisation to scale up essential services, including WASH, health, nutrition, and protection while addressing critical gaps to meet the needs of new arrivals and their host communities.