South Sudan: Launch of $63 million appeal for 2008 operations

We are launching an appeal today, Tuesday, for US$63 million to fund our 2008 operations in Southern Sudan, including organising the voluntary return and reintegration of 80,000 Sudanese refugees now in neighbouring countries.

The funds raised in this supplementary appeal would ensure ongoing support for the repatriation process, which has seen the return home of more than 169,000 Sudanese refugees and an estimated 1.9 million internally displaced Sudanese since a comprehensive peace agreement in January 2005 ended the long-running civil war. Some 260,000 Sudanese refugees remain outside Sudan's borders.

UNHCR plans to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of 45,000 Sudanese refugees from Uganda, 17,000 from Kenya, 16,000 from Ethiopia and 2,000 from Egypt. Priority will be given to returnees from Ethiopia so voluntary repatriation can be completed during 2008. Where UNHCR has a presence it will assist with the return home of internally displaced people (IDPs) if requested.