Uganda has initiated the repatriation of Sudanese refugees by air, with the first group of 150 individuals returning home on Sunday. This marks the beginning of a voluntary return program aimed at reuniting families displaced by the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The initiative is coordinated by the Kuwaiti Direct Aid Society under the supervision of Kuwait’s Embassy in Sudan, working closely with Sudanese and Ugandan authorities. Given the lack of safe land routes, air travel remains the only viable option for repatriation.
Alongside this, 30 Sudanese refugees arrived in Juba from Egypt through a separate state program targeting vulnerable citizens. Egypt hosts an estimated 100,000 South Sudanese refugees, with about 57,000 holding official refugee status.
Program Details and Humanitarian Context
- The first phase plans to return approximately 2,000 Sudanese refugees who voluntarily wish to go back.
- Priority is given to children, the elderly, the sick, and cases involving family reunification.
- Beneficiaries are carefully selected through a screening mechanism involving the Sudanese embassy and refugee communities.
- The program aims to expand from limited initiatives to a sustainable repatriation effort, as Sudan lacks capacity to manage large refugee populations abroad.
Dr. Fahd Mishari Al-Dhafeeri, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Sudan, emphasized Kuwait’s humanitarian commitment to alleviating the war’s impact since April 2023. Additionally, Dr. Abdullah Al-Sumait, Secretary-General of the Kuwaiti Direct Aid Society, noted that the gradual recovery in some Sudanese cities and refugees’ willingness to return are key to rebuilding the country’s social and economic fabric.
Currently, Uganda hosts around 95,000 Sudanese refugees. The repatriation program responds to urgent humanitarian needs due to harsh living conditions and decreasing international aid, with plans to conclude in just over a month.
