Govt reintegrates 280,000 IDPs, returnees and refugees since January

The government, in partnership with United Nations agencies, says it has reintegrated about 280,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and refugees into communities across three states since January this year. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management said the beneficiaries are in Unity, Upper Nile, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states. Speaking during the second Steering Committee Meeting on Durable Solutions in Juba on Monday, Humanitarian Affairs Minister Albino Akol Atak said the reintegration efforts have mainly targeted populations in the three states. “The strategy is now being implemented from January up to this date. We have now almost five months. In the five months, we are able to assist 280,000 people to resettle, meaning that to take them away from the IDP camps,” he said. “And as you remember during the discussion, this is a pilot project that will continue to cover the whole country. The other states that we have started in are three. Upper Nile State, Unity State and Western Bahr el Ghazal State,” he added. The minister said the ministry has recorded about 20,000 internally displaced persons among those assisted through the reintegration process, alongside thousands of returnees and refugees who have returned to rebuild their lives in their communities. Mr. Atak added that the government, with support from United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners, has established three permanent resettlement sites to support durable solutions for displaced populations. He said the government has constructed the Wedwil refugee resettlement site in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State to accommodate refugees and facilitate their integration into local communities. According to the minister, the resettlement sites are part of broader efforts to help displaced populations move from dependence on humanitarian assistance to sustainable livelihoods and community integration. He said the initiative seeks to improve access to basic services, strengthen social cohesion, and enhance the resilience of host communities receiving returnees and displaced persons. “The idea behind it is to end the suffering of the IDPs wherever they are. But more importantly, we have included the other categories: refugees, returnees, and the host communities that are all suffering with the IDPs. We have seen that we cannot continue giving humanitarian relief forever,” he explained. “The only durable solution to their status is to reintegrate them, help them depend on themselves, and build their resilience. That is what this structure is about,” he added. The minister described the reintegration of approximately 280,000 people within the first half of the year as significant progress in addressing displacement in the country. However, he acknowledged that major challenges remain, including funding constraints, inadequate infrastructure, and growing humanitarian needs across the country. The Steering Committee on Durable Solutions brings together government institutions, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations, and development partners to coordinate long-term strategies on displacement and reintegration. The post Govt reintegrates 280,000 IDPs, returnees and refugees since January appeared first on Eye Radio .