African Development Bank Group and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) pledge to strengthen their support of #SouthSudan as it grapples with the arrival of 3.5 million refugees and returnees due to the conflict in Sudan. African Development Bank Group Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade and UNHCR Assistant Commissioner for Operations, Raouf Mazou, visited a refugee camp and transit centre hosting arrivals from Sudan, where they met with refugees and returnees. They were accompanied by UNHCR Deputy Commissioner for Refugee Affairs, John Dabi. They expressed the importance of collaborating to invest in refugee hosting centres and in local communities.
VP Akin-Olugbade said, “We are committed to responding to the biggest development challenges facing the African continent, including preventing and addressing forced displacement. Our collaboration and partnership with UNHCR is an important and critical way to advance resilience and durable solutions for refugees, IDPs, returnees and host communities in South Sudan.”
UNHCR’s Mazou added: “South Sudan has generously kept its border open to receive people fleeing the war in Sudan, but they can’t do it alone. More humanitarian and development support is needed to deliver life-saving assistance and enable conflict-affected communities to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives.”
