South Sudan: Response for Sudan Crisis Situation Report No. 5 (As of 20th July 2023)

This report is compiled by OCHA South Sudan on behalf of the Inter-Agency actors of the Emergency Response to the Sudan Crisis and the Humanitarian Country Team. It covers the period from 13th July – 20th July.

HIGHLIGHTS

• As of 20 July 2023, 183,854 individuals from 42,103 households have arrived in South Sudan, with the numbers expected to rise.

• In collaboration with the Government of South Sudan’s RRC, partners continue to facilitate onward transportation assistance to vulnerable returnees, refugees, and third-country nationals arriving from Sudan. As of 20 July 2023, a total of 110,173 individuals have been moved, including 86,696 individuals who have been assisted by the RRC and humanitarian partners and 22,937 individuals who have moved through self-organized means.

• Over 40,000 school-age children have been displaced and are out of education since the crisis began, exposed to disease, malnutrition, and exploitation.

183K

Number of people arrived at Points of Entry as of 20th July 2023 (about 9% increase from the week prior)

*110K

People moved from points of entry as of 20th July 2023

20K

Refugees and asylum-seekers have sought asylum in South Sudan

1 IN 5

households of returnees and refugees arrived at the border with at least one protection vulnerability

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The crisis in Sudan has led to an overwhelming influx of South Sudanese returnees seeking safety in their homeland. As of 20 July 2023, 183,854 individuals from 42,103 households have arrived in South Sudan, with the numbers expected to rise. Among the arrivals, 91 percent are South Sudanese returnees, 7 percent are Sudanese, and 2 per cent are from other nationalities. The journey is arduous, with limited means of travel, and onward transport assistance is critical, but funding and security challenges hinder progress. Recent rapid assessments by partners indicated that returnees are becoming increasingly vulnerable as they move to areas of return, with no access to cash and productive assets upon arrival. Most were from an urban and peri-urban environment, with limited capacity for rural livelihoods. Moreover, they arrived too late to engage in the 2023 cultivation cycle.
Upon arrival, returnees face severe challenges. Preliminary data from June 2023 revealed that 83 per cent of returnee households experience moderate to severe food insecurity, and 81 percent are economically vulnerable. In Unity State, returnees arrive with physical injuries and report incidents of looting and harassment by armed groups during their journey.
The situation is dire, and the youngest victims, the children, bear the brunt. Over 40,000 school-age children have been displaced and are out of education since the crisis began, exposed to disease, malnutrition, and exploitation.
In collaboration with the Government of South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Committee (RRC), partners continue to facilitate onward transportation assistance to vulnerable returnees, refugees, and third-country nationals arriving from Sudan. As of 20 July 2023, a total of 110,173 individuals have been moved, including 86,696 individuals who have been assisted by the RRC and humanitarian partners and 22,937 individuals who have moved through self-organized means.
Humanitarian efforts are underway to assist the vulnerable populations, but more resources and support are urgently needed. The situation demands immediate action and collaboration to provide life-saving aid, including food, clean water, sanitation, and medical care. Ensuring the safety, education, and well-being of those displaced requires collective compassion and solidarity from the global community. It is a race against time to offer hope and relief to those facing adversity in their search for safety and stability.