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Aid agencies seek 1.4 bln USD for S. Sudanese refugees in 2017

Xinhua, May 15, 2017 Adjust font size:

Humanitarian agencies said Monday that they are seeking 1.4 billion U.S. dollars to provide life-saving aid to South Sudanese refugees in six neighboring countries until the end of 2017.

In a revised response plan, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) urged donors to step up support for desperate refugees fleeing South Sudan.

WFP Executive Director David Beasley said the suffering of the South Sudanese people is unimaginable.

"They are close to the abyss. Violence is at the root of this crisis. Aid workers often can not reach the most vulnerable hungry people. Many are dying from hunger and disease, many more have fled their homeland for safety abroad," Beasley said in a statement.

The South Sudanese refugee response plan so far remains only 14-percent funded and agencies said communities hosting refugees are among the world's poorest and are under immense pressure.

Beasley added that the funding situation had forced them to cut food rations for many refugees in Uganda.

Currently Uganda hosts some 898,000 South Sudanese refugees, and 375,000 are in Sudan, 375,000 in Ethiopia, 97,000 in Kenya, 76,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and 2,200 in Central African Republic (CAR).

According to the UN, the situation in South Sudan continues to worsen with a combination of conflict, drought and famine leading to further displacement and a rapid exodus of people.

South Sudan has become the world's fastest growing refugee crisis with more than 1.8 million refugees, including 1 million children, having sought safety in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, DRC and CAR.

The UNHCR welcomed the outstanding generosity refugees have received in South Sudan's neighbouring countries, but is alarmed by a situation which is now critical.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said bitter conflict and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in South Sudan are driving people from their homes in record numbers.

"Countries like Uganda have done all one could expect, but won't be able to sustain support for refugees unless the rest of the world steps up," warned Grandi.

The agencies said the current rate of people fleeing South Sudan exceeds the humanitarian community's already pessimistic estimates. Endit