The ongoing conflict in Sudan has created a regional crisis that has security and economic repercussions, a senior official with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Geneva, has warned.
“The impact of this crisis on South Sudan is multiple – there is an economic impact which is very serious because good parts of the northern part of South Sudan were very much dependent on the economy of Sudan,” said the UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations Raouf Mazou.
“So, it is a regional crisis having security considerations, but also very important economic considerations,” Mr Mazou continued, adding that Chad had echoed similar concerns.
Since the start of the conflict in Sudan in April, refugees have fled across the border to South Sudan, the majority of whom are South Sudanese returnees who are now coming back to the country they had once been forced to flee.
They are arriving alongside refugees from Sudan and various other countries.
The number of new arrivals into South Sudan this week has surpassed the 100,000 mark, the UNHCR says.
Mr Mazou told reporters in the capital, Juba, on Tuesday that about 7,000 registered refugees had entered South Sudan since the conflict in Sudan began.
Among them were 3,500 Sudanese refugees, 2,600 Ethiopians, 1,800 Eritreans and other nationalities.
Mr Mazou said in total, 400,000 Sudanese refugees had fled Sudan to neighbouring countries.
