November 24, 2020 Sudanese government authorities provide humanitarian and life-saving aid to Ethiopian refugees who are arriving in the east of the country, fleeing conflict in the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia.
According the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Government Commissioner for Refugees (COR) registered, as of last Saturday, 38,637 refugees, and arrived in Kassala, Gedaref, and recently, Blue Nile state.
However, the average daily number of refugees reaches 3,207 refugees in three locations along the border with Ethiopia in eastern Sudan.
Exhausted from their long journey, refugees arrive at safety, with little possessions and need help.
UNHCR and the House of Representatives are taking the lead on preparedness and response and have developed an inter-agency contingency plan that will support authorities, partners and relevant communities in providing humanitarian services and protection to new refugees.
On arrival in Sudan, refugees are temporarily hosted for one day at reception centers located near border entry points, where local authorities jointly with UNHCR screen and register them. At these border points, refugees are provided with safe drinking water, health care services and some shelter materials.
In the context of COVID-19, UNHCR is distributing masks and soap to the new arrivals.
Due to the large number of refugees arriving, UNHCR stresses the need to identify, build and equip new settlement sites to relieve pressure on crossing points.
Currently, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Sudanese government are discussing and assessing potential sites to accommodate the large number of refugees expected in the coming weeks.
The Umm Rukba site requires significant infrastructure work to ensure its safety and accessibility throughout the year. It accomdate 6,500 people only.
While the camps are not in the immediate conflict zone, UNHCR remains concerned about the safety of refugees and humanitarian workers due to the camps’ relative proximity to the fighting area.