Sweden Boosts Funding for UNHCR Appeals

The Government of Sweden recently contributed SEK 15.2 million to UNHCR fundraising appeals for Sudan and the South Sudan Situation. Earlier this year, Sweden generously donated SEK 139 million to 15 different UNHCR appeals and strategic response plans. With this contribution the Swedish humanitarian financing to UNHCR for 2015 amounts to a total of SEK 164.2 million.

“Funding shortfalls is having serious impacts on humanitarian operations worldwide. The volume of refugee needs is dramatically increasing and resources are not following. The Swedish Government’s response and funding is therefore of vital importance to UNHCR and the people we care for. The latest donations will go to improve efforts addressing acute displacement emergencies as well as forgotten or protracted situations,” says Pia Prytz Phiri, UNHCR´s Regional Representative for Northern Europe.

The humanitarian environment in Sudan and South Sudan is deteriorating. Insecurity following the outbreak of the conflict in South Sudan in December 2013, and conflict induced displacement in Sudan, specifically in Darfur, are forcing millions to flee. In Sudan, 6.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Sudan has a longstanding tradition of hospitality towards refugees and asylum-seekers, and is currently hosting thousands of refugees from South Sudan. South Sudan is also hosting over 255,000 refugees. By the end of 2015, the total number of refugees having fled South Sudan to neighboring countries is forecast to reach 821,000, while the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) could reach 1.95 million.  The overall funding requirement for Sudan is currently at USD 130.6 million and funding needs for the South Sudan Situation is USD 779.4 million.

The SEK 15.2 million from the Swedish Government will assist UNHCR’s strategic work for refugees and IDPs who have been forcibly uprooted by conflict in Sudan and the South Sudan Situation. From the total contribution, SEK 10 million will be channeled to UNHCR’s work in Sudan, where activities aims to strengthen the emergency response, provide protection, shelter and non-food items to the most vulnerable and promote durable solutions for forcibly displaced persons in Darfur. SEK  5.2 million will fund similar activities for the South Sudan Situation, where UNHCR has requested extra support to enable access to life-saving and life-sustaining assistance, facilitate border reception, registration and documentation of displaced persons, provide education services to children and water and sanitation services to South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan.

UNHCR is almost entirely funded by voluntary contributions, mostly from Governments. In 2014, Sweden was UNHCR’s sixth largest donor with USD 134.2 million.