The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has announced an expansion of its aid efforts from Sudan to Libya and Uganda, after a surge in arrivals in those countries of people fleeing the 14-month-old Sudanese civil war.
Sudan, already grappling with one of the world’s worst displacement crises, has seen over 12 million people displaced internally and more than 2 million forced across its borders. This latest initiative marks the seventh African country to host large numbers of Sudanese refugees under the UNHCR’s expanded response plan.
In Libya, situated northwest of Sudan, the influx of arrivals has raised concerns about the refugees potentially embarking on perilous journeys across the Mediterranean to Europe. UNHCR officials have warned of this scenario unless adequate aid is provided.
According to a UNHCR planning document released on Tuesday, the agency anticipates receiving up to 149,000 refugees in Libya by the end of the year. Uganda, despite not sharing a direct border with Sudan, is expected to host around 55,000 refugees. The country already shelters 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers from various other crises.
“This underscores the dire situation and the desperate choices people are making, ending up in a place like Libya, which is currently extremely challenging for refugees,” commented Ewan Watson of UNHCR during a press briefing in Geneva. Most of the new arrivals in Libya originate from Darfur, where ethnic violence has intensified.
Since last year, at least 20,000 refugees have arrived in Libya, with a notable acceleration in recent months. Many more have arrived unregistered, bringing the total number of Sudanese refugees in the country to at least 39,000, according to Watson.
However, the UNHCR’s aid response for Sudanese refugees is facing severe resource shortages, exacerbated by record humanitarian needs globally and some donors scaling back due to domestic financial constraints. Currently, the UNHCR plan is less than 20% funded, severely limiting its capacity to meet the escalating needs of refugees.
“Refugee families are being compelled to sleep outdoors, and medical facilities are unable to cope with the increasing demands we are facing,” Watson lamented.
Melissa Enoch
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