UNHCR says 1.3 mln Sudanese refugees returned home over nearly 6 yrs

Some 1.33 million South Sudanese refugees have spontaneously returned home since the signing of a revitalized peace agreement in October 2018 to March 31, 2024, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Wednesday.

The return of 45,429 South Sudanese was verified and reported in March, 12 percent more than in February, the UNHCR said in its latest update released in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

It attributed the increase to insecurity in the country of asylum, especially in Sudan, food insecurity, including the reduction of a food ration, and a lack of employment and livelihood opportunities.

According to the UNHCR, the majority of the March returnees came from Sudan and Ethiopia.

As of March 31, the UNHCR reported 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees in the region, which includes Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic.