Funding shortfalls leave tens of thousands of Sudanese fleeing conflict stranded at border entry points in Chad as the first rains arrive

Chad. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, urges partners to provide immediate support to nearly 185,000 Sudanese who have crossed the border into Chad and continue to await relocation from dangerous border areas, particularly in Adre border town.

“The first rains have started in Adre. It is an expected but devastating news as tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees still do not have suitable shelter to protect themselves from the impending rainy season. In Chad, rains often bring catastrophic flooding, render roads impassable and limit humanitarian access. It's paramount that we scale up the response now and immediately relocate as many refugees as possible to safer areas away from the border and assist those we will not be able to move,” says Mrs. Laura Lo Castro, UNHCR Representative in Chad.

UNHCR and partners are racing against the clock to complete a new settlement where refugees can receive the full range of protection and assistance, but an additional US$ 17M is urgently needed to relocate and accommodate 50,000 refugees there.

“Families who have crossed the border into Chad have lost everything. They rely on relief assistance to cover their most basic needs. We call on the generosity of our donors to urgently cover the most critical gaps to protect and save lives” Adds Laura Lo Castro

Since April 2023, the conflict in Sudan has forced nearly 600,000 people to flee to Chad. They first settle in overcrowded, spontaneous sites along the border, where they sleep in makeshift shelters. New arrivals – 88% women and children – often arrive in poor health, malnourished, traumatized and wounded, suffering from horrendous human rights violations, including physical assault and gender-based violence, most of the time with just the clothes they are wearing. They need essential protection services and life-saving assistance, including mental health and psychosocial support, shelter, food, water, sanitation, and health services.

To date, UNHCR and partners have constructed 5 new refugee settlements and extended 10 existing ones already hosting more than 336,000 Sudanese refugees.

UNHCR coordinates the emergency response for forcibly displaced people crossing the border in support to the government.

UNHCR and partners under the leadership of the Government have been leading colossal efforts to address dire needs and avert a greater humanitarian catastrophe with little resources. They have had to reallocate stocks and funds from other programmes and to scale down interventions with the consequence of lowering standards across all settlements. On average, people have access to 8 litres of clean water per day, below the 15-litre standard. Latrines built to serve 20 people are used by 60 people. There is one doctor for every 25,000 people, more than twice the standard ratio.

UN and partners require US$ 630.2 M to respond to the urgent needs of Sudanese crossing the border. Only 6% have been secured thus far.

For more information please contact:

• In N’Djamena, Aristophane Ngargoune, [email protected], +235 66 98 37 92
• In Dakar, Alpha Seydi Ba, [email protected], +221 773 457 454