United Nations and Chad Concerned about More Sudanese Flowing into Chad Without Aid
moatinoon
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed concern about more refugees crossing into Chad from Darfur in the coming weeks amid a concerning shortage of food and other essentials. This has forced Chad to declare a state of emergency for food security. The UNHCR stated that Chad urgently needs "more humanitarian aid and significant development investments to achieve stability in the fragile social and economic environment, especially in the eastern areas hosting refugees, and to allow the country to continue its generous open-door policy towards refugees." Chad also conveyed its concern about the arrival of more Sudanese refugees.
Chad suffers from a chronic shortage of funding for forcibly displaced programs. Until now, the UNHCR has only received 4% of the required 319.5 million for the year 2024.
Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner for the UNHCR, stated in a press release from the Chadian capital, NDjamena, where she is currently reviewing operations and discussing responses with hosts: "Chadian officials are concerned about the arrival of more hungry Sudanese families in the coming weeks."
She added, "The country is committed to keeping its borders open, despite the fragility of this region. However, doing so would put more pressure on Chad, which has graciously hosted refugees from the war in Sudan - ongoing for almost a year - and other refugees who have remained here from previous emergencies."
Women and children constitute around 90% of the refugees, with 77% of women arriving alone with their children. Many have experienced gender-based violence, including rape, and now need comprehensive follow-up support. The UNHCR provides medical and some psychological support, but more is needed.
Clements added, "Arrival numbers have slowed in recent months, but this could change quickly. Even without more arrivals, the needs now far exceed the capacities of humanitarian agencies. There are real concerns that the border area may face another lean season before heavy rains fall on the camps. Resources are scarce, and humanitarian funding is extremely limited. We need development actors to intensify their efforts quickly. The situation could become much worse very soon without concerted efforts to provide more to Chad."
The statement revealed that Chad urgently needs more humanitarian aid and significant development investments to achieve stability in the fragile social and economic environment, especially in the eastern areas hosting refugees, and to allow the country to continue its generous open-door policy towards refugees.
In December, the World Food Programme suspended ration distributions for some refugee groups in the country due to a lack of funds. Later, the government declared a state of emergency for food and nutrition security. Food items from Chad have not been distributed across the border to Darfur, where the security and protection situation is of concern, for over a month, raising concerns for all relief agencies about the imminent impact on Darfur and ultimately Chad.
The statement disclosed that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has counted over 553,150 new refugees from Sudan by mid-February, making the country the largest host of refugees fleeing Sudan since the outbreak of the brutal war in mid-April 2023. Overall, Chad now hosts 1.1 million refugees, making it the largest host in Africa per capita. This includes Sudanese who arrived before the recent war, as well as other refugees from the Central African Republic, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Additionally, Chad has about half a million internally displaced persons and returnees.
In the first year of the current crisis, the UNHCR, in collaboration with authorities, focused on relocating Sudanese refugees away from the border to safer areas. Approximately 260,000 people have been moved to new locations, and the UNHCR has expanded old sites to accommodate new arrivals. Currently, 160,000 refugees are awaiting resettlement. Finding new available sites is becoming more challenging, and creating shelters for those requiring resettlement and others who may arrive this year will cost millions more – funds that are not currently available.
