(Najat Ahmed - Mohamed Babikir) In Sudan, currently a large number of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees from neighboring countries and returnees, those who need urgent humanitarian assistance and development support. Particularly, and unexpected influx of South Sudanese refugees fled into Sudan has reached approximately 455 thousand in October 2017; remarkably, 185 thousand has just arrived during this year. Most of the refugees are temporary accommodated to the southern states, and around 36.5 percent (166 thousand), the highest number of the refugees are in White Nile State. Continuous arrival of South Sudanese refugees has severely resulted to rapid social instability due to increased pressure over the basic services and living conditions. White Nile State has already been under severe pressures that provoking potential frictions among different groups.
Moreover, is the limited access to adequate and safe sanitation and hygiene in White Nile State particularly market places and public spaces where people gathers represent a huge risk of outbreak of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) among returnees, refugees and hosting communities. It’s becoming an emergency to improve key market infrastructure including improvement of access roads, sanitation and hygienic facilities, and ensure safe display of commodities to prevent spread of diseases.

Through the support of the Government of Japan, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in Sudan has launched today the project to Support to Hosting Communities Affected by South Sudanese Refugees in White Nile State. The project aims to deliver safe, clean and accessible market places as centers for the hosting communities and South Sudanese refugees in Aljabalain Locality, White Nile State, Sudan that prevent widespread of diseases including Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD). The project will also enhance self-reliance of the hosting communities and South Sudanese refugees particularly youth and women through on-the-job training of self-help construction through the improvement of market places in Aljabalain.
The Project Launching Ceremony was held in Khartoum on 21 March 2018, Mr. Wael Al-Ashhab, Head of UN-Habitat Sudan Country Programme, welcomed the guests and assured that the UN-Habitat is committed to work with the governments and partners and emphasized the need to support communities as a whole, in civil societies, local governments and private sectors, to ensure seamless transition from the emergency response to long-term solutions, and to prevent deterioration of living environment and health condition for the future.
Mr. Wael underlined the huge challenge in Sudan, caused by significant number of the population consists of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees and returnees those who need urgent humanitarian assistance, durable solutions and development support. Particularly, a large number and unexpected influx of South Sudanese refugees fled into Sudan has been radically increasing, and high percentage of the refugees are temporary accommodated to White Nile State that severely impacted the hosting communities.
Mr. Wael thanked the Government of Japan for the support the project in Sudan that contributing broader aspects of the town, including living environment, livelihood and health to ensure that both South Sudanese refugees and the hosting communities can live in dignity.
H.E. Mr. Shinji Urabayashi, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of the Sudan, said in his statement, “It is very important to bring both the refugees and the local community members together, and involve them in bettering their own living environment. Also, I believe this co-working process will lead to creating a harmonious integration between the community members and the refugees” and praised the government of Sudan and the government of Sudan for their generosity in accepting the South Sudanese refugees.
Mr. Abdel Hameed Musa Kasha, The Governor of the White Nile State expressing gratitude to the Government of Japan for supporting this important project, and the strong commitment of the Ministry as well as the White Nile State to engage substantively and provide full support to the project in White Nile State.
In this project, UN-Habitat will work in close coordination with Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Physical Development, the State Ministry of Physical Planning and Public Utilities, the State Water Cooperation, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other relevant stakeholders from local authorities.
In his address in the launching ceremony, H.E. Ambassador Shinji Urabayashi of Japan said:
This year, the government of Japan has decided to provide 10,073,000 USD for the humanitarian and developmental projects in Sudan through the international organizations active in the country, including 900,000 USD for the project “Support to Hosting Communities Affected by South Sudanese Refugees in White Nile State”.
Sudan has received nearly 800,000 South Sudanese refugees, who fled from the ongoing crisis in South Sudan. Many of these refugees are currently residing in the White Nile State, because of its location on the border area between Sudan and South Sudan.
    
In response to this refugee crisis, we are providing support and protection for these South Sudanese refugees. However, we cannot forget the necessity to support the hosting communities affected by the refugees’ influx. These communities became under high pressure by accommodating the South Sudanese refugees, and faced lack of access to drinkable water, sanitation and hygiene. These circumstances also led to the appearance of a high number of Acute Watery Diarrhea cases in 2016 and 2017.
    
The objective of this project is to respond to the urgent needs in the provision of market infrastructure for the communities which host the South Sudanese refugees in White Nile State, to establish safe and clean markets with ensured better access.

One of the most important elements in this project is its aim to enhance the self-reliance of the refugees and the host communities and the creation of job opportunities. This project provides on-the-job training in the construction field for the target population, and then engages them in the construction work. It is very important to bring both the refugees and the local community members together, and involve them in bettering their own living environment. Also, I believe this co-working process will lead to creating a harmonious integration between the community members and the refugees.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of the UN habitat staff, and also, to the government of Sudan and the government of White Nile State for their generosity in accepting the South Sudanese refugees. I, furthermore, hope that this project will contribute to further strengthening the relationship between Japan and Sudan


On the other hand, the UN-Habitat Sudan programme head said that ; The project will also enhance self-reliance of the hosting communities and South Sudanese refugees particularly youth and women through on-the-job training of self-help construction through the improvement of market places in Aljabalain.

Let me affirm that UN-Habitat is committed to work with the governments and partners and emphasized the need to support communities as a whole, in collaboration with the hosting communities, South Sudanese refugees, civil societies, local governments and private sectors, to ensure seamless transition from the emergency response to long-term solutions, and to prevent deterioration of living environment and health condition for the future.

As we all know Sudan is facing a huge challenge as a result of the significant influx of refugees from South Sudan, with a high percentage of the refugees are temporary accommodated to White Nile State that severely impacted the hosting communities.

On behalf of UN-Habitat, we appreciate the role of the Government of Japan for the support the project in Sudan that contributing to peace building and improving the living conditions of people both the hosting communities and refugees, so they could live in harmony and dignity.

Let me also express our appreciation for the Government of Sudan at the national and state levels, and extend our gratitude to HE the Governor, Minister of Planning and the people of White Nile, hoping that we all work together to realize and accomplish the planned goals and objectives of the project.