The increasing numbers of passengers on board vessels used by traffickers are the main cause of shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean, and risks are increased by the worsening quality of vessels and the increasing use of rubber boats instead of wooden ones.

With the participation of refugee youth, Hacettepe University and UNHCR organized a Digital Storytelling Workshop.

Over 108,000 South Sudanese refugees have fled to Sudan in 2017 so far, for a total of over 375,000 refugees hosted in Sudan since December 2013.

The Burundi Situation needs urgent funding, as the total amount of contributions amounts to 1% of the overall needs. There are significant needs in refugee settlements, as the overall refugee population has grown to over 400,000, with new arrivals coming on a daily basis.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is forced to implement food cuts in the region, affecting Burundian refugees in Tanzania and Rwanda. In Rwanda food assistance is secured only until the end of April. A possible drastic cut in food rations is foreseen in the month of May (51%) and onwards, if no further contributions are received from donors.

On April 2, 2017 the launch of the Egypt 3RP took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the presence of ambassadors, UN & government officials.

The construction of a 14km pipeline from Tarach seasonal river to Kalobeyei settlement was completed thus allowing water to be pumped from boreholes near Tarach Seasonal River in Kakuma to Kalobeyei. Currently, piping within cluster one of Kalobeyei settlement is ongoing.

A total of 5,020 (58 % from Eastern Equatoria) SSD new arrivals have been registered since 1st January 2017 while a total of 1,418 individuals were registered in March 2017.

UNHCR and UNICEF welcome the call made by the European Commission to Member States to increase resettlement and other legal pathways for children to safely reach Europe.

UNHCR and UNICEF hope that new EU guidelines will be concrete contribution to the protection of the many children who arrive to Europe after having been forced to flee their homes due to violence, war and conflict.