By Deng Ghai Deng
The government has announced adoption of an integration policy aimed at supporting refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
This strategic decision was stated on Monday by Angelina Teny, the Minister of Interior, during a press briefing at Juba International Airport upon her return from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) annual meeting in Geneva
“This meeting is an annual event that serves as a platform for planning and addressing crises related to the protection of refugees, IDPs, and returnees,” Teny explained.
“This year, the focus was particularly on statelessness and protecting those at risk. Our country is one of those with a significant number of individuals facing the threat of statelessness,” she added.
Angelina’s statements reflect the government’s commitment to tackling the complex issues surrounding displacement, and the need for collaborative international support to protect those affected by ongoing conflict and instability.
The integration policy aims to create durable solutions for displaced individuals, promoting their social and economic inclusion within communities.
South Sudan hosts some 330,000 refugees and asylum-seekers (mainly from Sudan) and has 2 million internally displaced persons due to conflict, insecurity and the impact of climate change, according to UNHRC.
In addition, over 500,000 South Sudanese refugees have returned to the country since the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018.
South Sudan’s refugee crisis remains the largest in Africa, with over 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees generously hosted in neighboring countries, mainly Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.