South Sudan and UN Vow to End Displacement for 60,000 People by End of 2026

Juba (ANTARA) - South Sudan and the United Nations have reaffirmed their commitment to ending protracted displacement for at least 60,000 South Sudanese by the end of 2026. During the second meeting of the Durable Solutions Steering Committee in Juba on Tuesday, ministers, state authorities, and UN officials stated that while local progress has been made, the pace and scale of broader recovery remain heavily dependent on stability, land availability, and access to essential services. South Sudan’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Albino Akol Atak, reiterated the government’s commitment to advancing the durable solutions agenda, including creating safe and voluntary conditions for return and reintegration, while closely monitoring progress. “For every South Sudanese living in protracted displacement, a year of delay means a year of life delayed,” Akol said in a joint statement issued on Tuesday evening. The UN noted in 2026 that South Sudan faces a significant internal displacement crisis, affecting over 2.5 million people, including 964,000 living in camps and designated sites. The UN said this protracted crisis originated from the 2013 conflict but has been worsened by recurrent floods and climate shocks. According to the UN, the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan has further aggravated the emergency. Since 2023, more than 1.3 million refugees, including Sudanese refugees entering South Sudan and South Sudanese refugees returning home, have crossed into South Sudan. With support from the government, the UN, and partners, more than 28,000 previously displaced people have returned, reintegrated, or settled in new locations in Unity, Upper Nile, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states, where local conditions have allowed.