Acting High Commissioner ending Sudan/Chad mission

Briefing notes

Acting High Commissioner ending Sudan/Chad mission

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

22 April 2005

Acting High Commissioner Wendy Chamberlin is in N'Djamena, Chad, today on the final stop of her five-day mission to Sudan, the Darfur region and eastern Chad.

Ms. Chamberlin arrived in Abéché, eastern Chad, from the neighbouring Darfur region of western Sudan on Wednesday evening. Yesterday, she visited UNHCR's field office in the town of Iriba and met with refugees from Darfur in the Touloum refugee camp. The refugees expressed several concerns about the difficulties they face, including water, food, education for their children and lack of firewood. Ms. Chamberlin assured them UNHCR and its partners were doing everything we can to improve the situation while they await the day they can safely go home to Darfur. There are some 200,000 refugees from Darfur in 11 camps in eastern Chad. A 12th is scheduled to open soon.

Finally, just a reminder that the acting High Commissioner will brief you on her mission here in Salle III at 14.00 hours on Monday (25 April).