Description
The deteriorating security situation in Sudan resulting from the ongoing civil war between the two rival factions of the military government of Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is anticipated to push more Sudanese refugees into Uganda.
The GOvernment of Uganda opened up Kirayndono refugee settlement loctd in Mid-Western region of Uganda to be the resettlement site to the newly arriving refugees and asylum seeker from Sudan.
According to Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) field offices in Kiryandongo where the new arrivals are being resettled, the number of new arrivals per day is 200 asylum seekers who come on their own, in addition to another 160 individuals who are oficially relocated during a weekly convoy from the South Sudan border of Nimule through Nyumanzi reception centre in Adjumani district. This weekly bus covoy is however being hampered by the current closure of Karuma bridge that is currently under repair and thus
By end of May 2024, UNHCR refugee respoonse dashboard data shows a total of 106,996 individuals (23,116 households) composed of both the old and new caseloads so far resettled in Kiryandongo refugee settlement, out of whom 8,600 individuals are new arrivals from the recently escalated Sudanase conflict; while other 300 indivuduals who just arrived from Sudan are currently being processed at the reception centre. The number of new arrivals is expected to peak to around 61,824 individuals at any point in the year.
Morover, the capacity of Uganda's operation to provide dignified reception to the refugees without any additional, extraordinary support is already exceeded as the situation is being excercebated by the drastic decline in funding for the refugee response.
the Uganda Red Cross Society condited a needs assessment in kiryandongo refugee settlement between 10th and 17th june 2024 ad established critical humanitarian gaps in provision of safe water and sanitation coverage especially affected the new arrivals from Sudan. other key needs are in the areas of protection with increasing number of individuals and families seeking training serivces that until recently closed out from this settlement due to funding gaps. There is also major gap accomodation space at the reception centre, as well as no support towards provision of shleters to Person of Special Needs (PSNs) who are unabale to cotruct won houses and latrines. Key institutions including the reception cenre, schools and health facilities too are faced with inadequate toilet facilities, intermitten water supply and challenge of solid waste management. The health care services in Kiryandongo refugee settlement are overwhelmed due to this increasing population pressure; whereby drug stock-outs, limited number if health care workforce, and limited diagnostic capacities is barring the refugees and asylum seekers from accessing proper medical care.
It is feared that the current congestion, poor housing, inadequate WASH infrastructure and the minimal health conditions might lead to major outbreak of communicable diseases, including cholera, typhoid and measles and others. Furthermore, the current overstretched reception capacity including screening, registration and allocation of plots s already resulting in overstays at the reception center that poses increased protection risks. Moreoiver, the inadequate shelter infrastructures for those resettled in the plots of land will expose new arrivals, particulalrly PSNs to adverse weather conditions for the duration of stay that increass their risks to respiratory tract infections and malaria infestations.
Besides, many of the refugees and asylum seekers might move out to urban centres to seek better living conditions thus posing risks of family seperations and related protection risks.
To help mobilse resources to address these gaps, the OPM and UNHCR drafted a Continecy Plan targeting Sudanese refugee influx in Uganda in March 2024 but the response to this appeal is quite slow that leaves many partners very limited response capacities.