SUDAN REGISTERS 883 NEW ARRIVALS IN JULY – July saw the lowest number of South Sudanese refugees arriving in Sudan so far in 2019, with 883 refugees coming into the country, bringing the total number of new arrivals to 14,758.

UNHCR GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION TOOL (GDT) PILOTED IN SUDAN – The GDT was piloted in the Sharq El Nil locality distribution from 4-7 August. The GDT uses biometric registration data to quickly and accurately verify 2,432 refugees collecting NFI kits on behalf of their families. This helps to speed up the distribution process and reduced opportunities for fraud. Refugees were able to see real-time reports on exactly who had collected for their families and what had been received. This helped to mitigate uncertainty and duplication issues. They reported that the distribution process felt more organized and transparent. The GDT forms an important part of ensuring refugees are able to access assistance in a secure and dignified manner. GDT is being rolled out for distributions across Sudan.

AN INFULX OF CAR REFUGEES CROSSING INTO DARFUR: A total of 7,729 new arrivals have crossed the border from Central Africa Republic to Central and South Darfur due to tribal conflicts. The majority of the new arrivals (6,587 individuals) are currently in South Darfur, Um Dafoug locality where level 1 (house hold) registration was conducted by COR. They arrived after July 2019 and this number is increasing daily. 5,727 of them arrived after the second week of October 2019. 296 households that comprise 1,142 individuals are in Um Dukhun locality in Central Darfur.

REFUGEE ARRIVALS PICKED AFTER THE RAINY SEASON – Total new arrivals of South Sudanese refugees to Sudan in October was 1,670, bringing the total number of new arrivals in 2019 to 17,221. This follows the lowest new arrival figures observed in Sudan in August and September due to heavy rains and floods.

SUDAN RESUMED RIVER TRANSPORTATION WITH SOUTH SUDAN: World Food Programme (WFP) launched on 22 October barge transportation carrying food supplies from Kosti in White Nile State, Sudan to Renk and Malakal in South Sudan to increase food assistance to displaced South Sudanese people. The first three barges carried 4,500 tons of food, enough to feed 370,000 people for one month. The resumption of commercial transportation between Sudan and South Sudan may potentially facilitate cross border movements of people, including refugees.

AGREEMENT TO ISSUE WORK PERMITS FOR REFUGEES IN KHARTOUM: UNHCR in collaboration with the Commissioner of Refugees (COR) and the Khartoum State Supreme Council for Human Development and Labor (SCHDL) launched the issuance of the work permits for the refugees in Khartoum on 30 October. It was agreed that the work permits and business licenses will function as legal authorization for all refugees to access the labor market, provided they are registered with COR and recognized as refugees, in addition to a referral letter from COR. The requests will be processed through a special window at the Office of Labour in Khartoum state, where dedicated staff will be equipped with general knowledge on refugees’ issues through on the job training. It is expected that approximately 12,273 South Sudanese refugees aged 18 to 59 living in the Open Areas (54% women) could have access to formal labour opportunities by acquiring access to work permits. This would have high impacts on the life of refugees by improving their livelihoods opportunities and the regularization and safety of their employment, which in turn would reduce the levels of poverty and onward movement that exposes refugees to exploitation and human trafficking.

TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN ALLOWS EXPELLED NGOS TO RETURN: The Transitional Government of Sudan has allowed international NGOs that were expelled by the previous regime in 2009 to re-register in Sudan. At the same time, the Federal Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) issued decisions regarding the deregistration of 58 national non-government organizations perceived to be linked to the previous regime. These developments might affect the capacity of partners to provide humanitarian relief to South Sudanese refugees in Sudan

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION TOOL (GDT) USED TO COMPLETE FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN WHITE NILE STATE: A third cycle of the roll-out of biometric food distribution using the Global Distribution Tool (GDT) took place in November, conducted by a joint team formed by the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), UNHCR, WFP and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) in the White Nile State. The exercise was conducted in the camps of Alagaya, Dabat Bosin, Khor Al Warel, Um Sangor and Al Jameya, with a total of about 105,239 beneficiaries targeted.

PILOT SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN SOUTH DARFUR: World Vision International (WVI) together with the national NGO National Humanitarian Aid Organization (NaHA) launched a pilot supplementary feeding program by distributing food vouchers to the refugee community in El Radom settlement in South Darfur, targeting 8,000 refugees and 2,000 members of the host community. The program aims to complement the general food distribution (GFD) with additional items, focusing on supporting people with special needs, particularly children. The program will continue up to March 2020 as pilot project for El Radom settlement.

SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEES RELOCATION PUT ON HOLD IN EAST DARFUR: A shortage of bamboo sheets used to set-up new shelters has put on hold the relocation of South Sudanese refugees to the new extension at Kario camp in East Darfur. Situated 1.2 km away from Kario, the new extension is a recent allocated land that will accommodate 1,400 refugee households (around 4,200 individuals), including new arrivals and refugees heavily affected by floods, in order to reducing the overcrowding of Kario camp.