More than 200 refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been relocated to Western Equatoria State (WES) in South Sudan as part of a program to provide them with safe shelter and support.
The refugees were relocated from the Yida refugee camp, which is located in Unity State, to the Nagero refugee settlement in WES. The relocation was carried out by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in collaboration with the South Sudanese government.
The refugees had been living in Yida since 2011 when violence erupted in South Kordofan, a state in Sudan that borders South Sudan. Many of the refugees are women and children, and they have been living in difficult conditions in Yida, which is overcrowded and lacks basic services such as healthcare and education.
The relocation to Nagero will provide the refugees with better living conditions and access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and clean water. The settlement is also closer to the border with their home countries, which will make it easier for the refugees to return home when it is safe to do so.
The UNHCR has welcomed the relocation and praised the South Sudanese government for its support in providing safe shelter and support to the refugees. The agency has also called on the international community to provide more support to help refugees who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict and violence.
The relocation of the refugees is part of a broader effort by the UNHCR and the South Sudanese government to improve the conditions for refugees in the country. South Sudan is home to more than 300,000 refugees, many of whom have fled violence and conflict in neighboring countries such as Sudan and the DRC.