International Community Endorses New Initiative to Support Refugees and Host Communities.

UNHCR chief lauds Pope's solidarity with refugees on his visit to the Greek island of Lesvos and by offering a home to three Syrian families.

RoC: concerned about allegations of violence against civilians , Ban Ki-moon urged the Government to respect its international obligations

RoC: préoccupé par les allégations de violences contre des civils, M. Ban Ki-moon exhorte le Gouvernement à respecter ses obligations internationales

For better protection and humanitarian assistance, UNHCR, in collaboration with partners, is undertaking a shelter addressing exercise in all the six refugee camps in Gambella region. The exercise, which started on 7 March, involves marking of shelters using permanent paint indicating the plot address. The address with make it easier to locate refugees and improve on provision of services and assistance. About 20,000 transitional shelters and 38,000 emergency shelters/tents are being marked with addresses during the exercise.

In early April, the Gambella region in western Ethiopia experienced a relatively high number of new South Sudanese arrivals into the region, crossing to Okugo refugee camp through the Raad corridor. Since 5 April 2016, more than 300 new arrivals have been registered by the Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) with support from UNHCR. Dozens of Unaccompanied and Separated children were among the new arrivals. Most of them said they trekked in the jungle for about two weeks before arriving in Okugo. UNHCR and partners have provided the refugees with basic assistance including corn soya blend (CSB) to children, plastic sheets, mosquito nets, blankets, sleeping mats and water jerry cans at the camp. The new arrivals fled intra-ethnic clashes in Ponchalla area which broke out on 21 March in Pochalla town between Pochalla North and Pochalla South Anuak communities and soon spread to nearby towns.

The first pilot biometric food distribution system was successfully completed within 8.5 days in Jewi Refugee Camp. From the total targeted population of 48,639 persons, 37,403 persons were able to collect food ration using the Biometrics system showing a 23% no show rate. Additional tests will be undertaken in the coming two months to draw a clear trend within which the construction of the two biometrics food centres in Jewi camp would have been completed.

An EXCOM donor mission from Geneva visited Uganda (Adjumani) to gain a deeper understanding of UNHCR and partners responses to refugee influxes.

In Maban, UNHCR scaled up services at Gentil hospital, with a 24-hrs emergency room and maternity ward, and adult and pediatric in-patient departments.

Two years after: The Chibok Girls Must Be Found – and Freed (International Crisis Group)