UN Refugee Agency urges increased funding for refugees amid Sudan conflict

More than 400,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in neighboring Chad since the start of a conflict in Sudan about five months ago, said an official from the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"As of Sept. 11, 2023, 418,126 new Sudanese refugees have been registered in Chad. Daily arrivals from Sudan continue ... the Chadian government estimates that up to 600,000 refugees and returnees could arrive in Chad by the end of 2023," UNHCR Chad Representative Laura Lo Castro told Xinhua in a recent interview.

She said that the UNHCR, in collaboration with the Chadian government, is working to ensure the reception, protection, and response to the most urgent humanitarian needs of the refugees.

Despite these efforts, the needs in the camps remain enormous, and resources are running out, she added.

"Additional resources are sorely needed to meet the needs of the refugees. As of Sept. 9, 2023, out of the 388 million U.S. dollars requested for Chad under the PRRP (Regional Refugee Response Plan) for the Sudanese situation, the humanitarian community has been financed at 20 percent, or 79 million dollars. 80 percent of the plan remains unfunded, representing a gap of 309 million dollars," Lo Castro said.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes in the capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry.