UNHCR Archive Gallery Sudan 1972

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadruddin Aga Khan, and Abel Alier, President of the Provisional High Executive council of the South Sudan visit the village of Kajo Kaji, South Sudan.

© UNHCR/Wibo van de Linde/1972

In March 1972, the UN Secretary-General asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to coordinate an immediate UN relief programme for the Southern Region of Sudan, aimed at the return and rehabilitation of approximately 500,000 persons displaced within Southern Sudan and some 180,000 refugees who were expected to repatriate from neighboring countries. This operation included the establishment of an airlift between the North and South, participation in the construction of the Bailey bridge over the Nile River, technical assistance for agricultural development, and access to health care and education.

The South Sudan Operation is documented in the Records of the Central registry (Fonds 11/1). In addition, related records can be found in the in the Records of the High Commissioner (Fonds 13/1) and in the Project Files (Fonds 11/4). The documents range from correspondence related to protection and policy issues, to statistics and administrative correspondence. An example of the day-to day documentation produced by the office of the High Commissioner can be accessed here.

• Records of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan's Mission to Sudan, 16-20 June 1973