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GENEVA, November 20, 2020 – This is a summary of what Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Sudan, to whom the quoted text can be attributed, said at today’s press conference at the Palais des Nations in Geneva..
“The first thing we notice is that about 45 percent of the refugees are children under 18 years of age.
“The second is that people left with little. Although some have come with their animals, belongings and crops, most have come with nothing.
“Schools had already reopened in Ethiopia in September, so schooling for these children has now been interrupted. There is no opportunity we can foresee for schoolchildren to continue their regular education for the foreseeable future, at least for the next several months.
“The children are not malnourished and we are doing the usual checks. But if the health and sanitation situation does not improve, diseases can begin to spread.
“UNICEF is checking the immunization status of children among the newcomers and they are being vaccinated against different diseases. Newly arrived refugee children will also be included in the upcoming national polio campaign, which starts on November 28, and we must ensure that these displaced children are also included in routine vaccinations, whether for measles or other diseases.
“We are planning an escalation of up to 200,000 refugees. Our biggest concern is that if we do not act quickly with the necessary resources … this could unravel not only Ethiopia but Sudan as well.
“With all of our partners, not just UN agencies but also NGOs, we are working closely to ensure that all necessary assistance is available quickly, but we could soon be overwhelmed. 31,000 people have already arrived in a period of less than two weeks. We receive 4,000 to 5,000 per day on average and if this rate continues, it is not sustainable.
“We are also advocating with the national government for the land that is needed.
“And most importantly, as you can see us all coming here together, we are working in a UN system under the leadership of UNHCR, which is our lead agency for refugees and this is a strong message that we want to send. One voice, one answer, together.
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“The people we have seen, we have seen them scared, we saw panic and fear in the eyes of many children, especially those who may have witnessed artillery fire or planes dropping bombs. We could see that many families fled in a hurry and did not have many belongings with them.
“We have not heard specific details of the alleged crimes within the country. We have not asked or heard specifically about atrocities at the border, people are careful about the information they share. In fact, we saw families returning to collect more goods like beds, donkey carts that were being transported across the river when we were there.
“These people are concerned for the families they left behind, concerned for their country. We could also see that they were a mix of farmers and professionals, including doctors and bankers. Some people were wealthy and could buy their own food.
“Sudan is already facing an economic crisis. Sudan already hosts more than 1.2 million refugees and has more than 2 million internally displaced persons. The inflation rate exceeds 240%. There are lines for fuel and bread. Therefore, Sudan has many of its own economic and political problems, and having 200,000 more refugees is something that cannot be allowed.
“And yet Sudan has opened its doors to tens of thousands of people. Our serious concern is that what happens here will have repercussions not only for Sudan or Ethiopia, but for the entire region. We hope that the international community will respond.
“From our perspective, we do not believe that children should not be exposed to unnecessary violence for decades and decades. This is our concern. As our Executive Director mentioned yesterday in her statement, we want the violence to stop so that there are no more displaced children.
“The Humanitarian Country Team is preparing a Refugee Response Plan and, although we are still assessing the needs, we know this will become clear in the coming days. But for now, we need $ 50 million immediately, and this figure could rise to $ 200 million if refugees continue to arrive.
“UNICEF’s immediate priorities are:
- Continue distributing cans and hygiene materials and supporting water and sanitation interventions.
- Reunite children separated from their families and provide psychosocial support to those facing shock, trauma, and bereavement. This includes creating child-friendly spaces for children to participate in recreational and learning activities.
- Raise awareness about COVID-19 prevention measures by disseminating messages in reception centers.
- Identify and respond to people affected by gender violence and other human rights violations.
- Support health and nutrition interventions, especially for pregnant women and young children.
“The needs are immediate and enormous, requiring urgent international support to meet the basic needs of displaced refugees, including shelter, food and other basic services.”
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