SOUTH SUDAN SITUATION
EMERGENCY UPDATE 1
6 January 2014
Overview

Since
deadly
clashes
between
competing factions within the Sudan
People’s Liberation Movement/Army
(SPLM and SPLA) broke out in Juba on
15 December, more than 184,000
people have been displaced internally,
including some 57,500 people who
have sought security in the compounds
of the United Nations Mission in South
Sudan (UNMISS). The conflict also
forced another estimated 31,500 South
Sudanese refugees to flee their homes
and to cross into Ethiopia, Kenya,
Sudan and Uganda.

While the Government of South Sudan
declared a State of Emergency in
Jonglei and Unity States, the security
situation remains tense in Upper Nile,
Unity, Jonglei, Lakes, and Central
Equatoria States. The conflict has now
spread to seven of the country’s 10
states, making conditions more difficult
for humanitarian workers.

UNHCR has declared a Level 2 emergency for the situation in South Sudan and the affected
neighbouring countries and is mobilizing the necessary support and additional resources to address the
growing needs of the newly displaced both in South Sudan and in the neighbouring countries. The
Office also continues to support the nearly 230,000 refugees inside South Sudan, mainly in Unity and
Upper Nile States.

Inside South Sudan, UNHCR is working with UNMISS and the United Nations Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to assist displaced people.

In the neighbouring countries, UNHCR staff have been preparing for the arrival of new refugees. All
receiving countries have so far kept their borders open and generously allocated additional land/or
agreed to expand existing sites, wherever necessary to accommodate new arrivals from South Sudan.
In Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda, UNHCR has activated its contingency plans that include border
monitoring, reception and relocation to camps/sites, registration and documentation, assistance
delivery, and pre-positioning of non-food items (NFIs).
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Populations of Concern
The below table provides statistics on the estimated number of IDPs and refugees from South Sudan since
15 December 2013.
Displaced population
South Sudan
 IDPs (source OCHA)
 Refugees
South Sudanese refugees
 Ethiopia
 Kenya
 Sudan
 Uganda
Total refugees
Total
184,000
229,587
5,300
3,200
-*
23,000
31,500
*In Sudan, there are unconfirmed reports of thousands of people having crossed the border into South
Kordofan State. However, these figures could not be confirmed yet due to lack of access.
Operational Highlights
South Sudan
Internally Displaced Persons

UNHCR is working closely with UNMISS, OCHA, other sister agencies and NGOs on the ground, to
provide shelter, food, NFIs, medical supplies and protection to the displaced.

UNHCR has deployed additional staff to provide necessary support to inter-agency efforts in the
areas of Protection, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), NFIs and Shelter.
Protection

Three UNHCR dedicated staff for general protection, child protection and gender-based violence
are providing expertise at UNMISS compounds.

In the context of the overall cluster coordination, UNHCR’s activities include:
 Ensuring overall coordination of protection actors and ongoing formal and informal
advocacy and outreach.
 Organizing inter-agency missions.
 Participating in protection monitoring in Juba and other affected areas to identify and refer
persons with special needs to relevant agencies.
 Informing and documenting conflict analysis/trends.
Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)

UNHCR is co-leading the CCCM cluster and has deployed two dedicated staff to work with its colead, the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
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Shelter/NFIs

UNHCR has assigned a site planner and a shelter expert to work closely with UNMISS to set up
camps for IDPs at the UNMISS bases in Juba. This assistance is extended to other sites as needed.

Non-food items have been distributed to IDP families who sought refuge at the UNMISS
compounds and church sites in Juba.

In close coordination with other agencies on the ground, UNHCR is currently determining the gaps
and will release additional NFIs from its warehouses in Juba and if possible, Unity and Upper Nile
States.

On 6 January, UNHCR started airlifting NFIs, tents, plastic sheeting, plastic rolls for
improvement/development of sites and communal facilities, and two prefabricated warehouses for
some 75,000 IDPs.
Refugees in South Sudan

Some 230,000 refugees, mainly in Unity and Upper Nile States are also affected by the conflict.
Operational continuity plans were elaborated in close consultation with Partners and activated to
ensure sustained protection and life-saving assistance to the refugees.

Refugee camps in Maban County, in Upper Nile State, remain operational. Despite the
circumstances and reduced staff capacity on the ground, basic services and protection activities
continue to be delivered. NFI distribution started for all refugees in Upper Nile State on 3 January
while food rations for 45 days have already been distributed to all refugees in Doro (over 47,000),
Yusuf Batil (39,000), Kaya (nearly 19,000) and Gendrassa (over 17,000).

While the security situation remains tense and unpredictable in Yida and Ajuong Thok, in Unity
State, national staff and UNHCR’s partners continue to provide essential services, including food
and water delivery, to more than 75,000 refugees. Workers and volunteers from among the local
and refugee communities also play a critical role in providing services. Health care continues in the
form of inpatient and outpatient care, and the delivery and care for newborns.

Refugees in urban areas have also approached UNHCR for assistance, including some 200 Ethiopian
refugees who have sought safety at the UNMISS base in Malakal.
Ethiopia

The Government of Ethiopia has reiterated its open door policy for refugees and UNHCR is
discussing with ARRA the possible expansion of camps to accommodate the new arrivals.

UNHCR has activated its contingency plan with an estimated planning figure of 30,000 new arrivals
within the first three months of 2014.

The nearly 5,300 newly arrived refugees, mainly from Jonglei State (South Sudan), have been
received in Gambella State, with a large concentration in the Akobo area and reports of asylumseekers residing in the host community in Wanthoa Woreda. A smaller number of asylum-seekers
have crossed into Benishangul Gumuz Regional State through the southern corridor of Yabus from
the Upper Nile State.
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
Wherever possible, border monitoring is undertaken jointly with the host government to facilitate
the identification of people in need of international protection and their referral to reception
facilities where their immediate needs are catered for.

Registration is conducted upon arrival at the reception centre and allows for the identification of
people with specific needs (unaccompanied or separated children, victims of sexual and genderbased violence, elderly, etc.) who are then provided with the necessary services.

NFIs and one-month food rations have been pre-positioned for 15,000 people. The delivery of Core
Relief Items (UNHCR), along with food (WFP) and WASH items and vaccines (UNICEF) will be
facilitated by the Government. This will ensure the provision of immediate life-saving assistance to
the 5,000 refugees already registered in Akobo.

In the Gambella region, the Fugnido and Okugo existing refugee camps will be expanded to
accommodate the new arrivals. A new camp is also being developed in Lietchor to cater for the
new arrivals in Wanthoa Woreda and from Akobo.
Kenya

The Government of Kenya maintains an open door policy.

UNHCR has activated its contingency plan with an estimated planning figure of 20,000 new arrivals
in the first three months of 2014.

Registration and documentation is systematically undertaken and out of the 3,200 newly arriving
South Sudanese, around 80 per cent are children who are given special attention. Regular visits
have been carried out by joint teams comprising the Government of Kenya, UNHCR and key
partners, to the Nadapal border crossing point through which most South Sudanese asylum-seekers
have been entering Kenya.
Sudan

The Government of Sudan has expressed its willingness to keep borders open for refugees and has
formed a high-level technical committee, which is carrying out initial assessment missions to
neighbouring countries for response planning purposes, including potentially identifying relocation
sites.

UNHCR is working closely with the Government of Sudan and the Commission for Refugees (COR) in
particular, as well as partners, to ensure a coordinated response. State-level committees are also
being set up to manage any potential refugee influx.

UNHCR is supporting the Government of Sudan’s preparedness efforts for possible population
movements into Sudan and has participated in initial assessment missions to States bordering
South Sudan, although verification of arrivals through registration has not yet been possible.

UNHCR is working to assess refugee arrivals in South Kordofan State and elsewhere in Sudan and
trying to provide assistance to the displaced populations accordingly.

UNHCR and WFP plans to pre-position food rations and non-food items in Kosti for up to 40,000
people as of the week of 6 January 2014.
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Uganda

The Government of Uganda has expressed its willingness to keep borders open for refugees and
recently decided to grant prima facie refugee status to all new arrivals from South Sudan.

UNHCR has activated its contingency plans with an estimated planning figure of 30,000 new arrivals
in the first three months of 2014. However, recent arrivals already suggest that this planning figure
will need to be revised upwards.

Some 23,000 refugees have already crossed into Uganda’s districts of Adjumani, Arua, and Koboko,
and have received protection and basic assistance. Border monitoring is undertaken jointly with the
host government to facilitate identification of people in need of international protection and
referral to reception facilities where their immediate needs are catered for.

New arrivals will be transferred from reception centres in Koboko to refugee settlements in
Kiryandongo and Adjumani.
Funding

A response plan has been prepared in coordination with OCHA and other partners, which prioritizes
the needs within the original Strategic Response Plan in light of this new emergency. The prioritized
response amounts to USD 209 million to cover the most urgent needs of internally displaced people
and refugees in South Sudan from January to March 2014, reflecting the additional requirements
for existing clusters as well as the newly created CCCM. UNHCR’s requirements within the
reprioritized plan are USD 60.8 million (USD 60 million for refugees and USD 0.8m for CCCM
activities). UNHCR is also scaling up its IDP response in South Sudan and will soon launch an Appeal.

In addition, UNHCR’s additional requirements to respond to the needs of South Sudanese refugees
in the neighbouring countries, namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda are currently being
finalized and will be presented shortly along with the financial requirements relating to the IDP
response in South Sudan.
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