Sudan’s consulate in Libya announces return scheme for refugees
The Sudanese Consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi has announced a new voluntary return programme for Sudanese refugees residing in Libya, according to the Libya Review on August 18th.
Figures from the United Nation Refugee Agency state that around 313,000 Sudanese people have entered Libya since the conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces.
The UN expects the figure to rise to 650,000 by the end of 2025.
In 2017 Sudan’s consulate in Libya was closed down after the eastern Libyan government accused staff of carrying out human trafficking practices, and on July 27th of this year a Sudanese delegation visited the Libyan city of Kufra to discuss the reopening of the consulate.
The new programme announced follows what the consulate has described as the “steady improvement in security conditions in Sudan and the growing desire of citizens to return home.”
It has been named a voluntary programme because before repatriation begins there is a registration process for those who want to take part in the programme, with registration centres open in several towns and cities across Libya.
Citizens have been warned that registering in more than one city will automatically disqualify them from the programme.
Many of the Sudanese people in Libya who have fled the war are dealing with a lack of job opportunities, rising prices, and limited access to basic services, with reports from Sudanese and Libyan organizations calling attention to worsening humanitarian conditions.
Migration from Sudan, alongside other African nations due largely to the Mediterranean sea route to Europe, has put a strain on Libya.
On July 28th it was reported that the mayor of the city of Kufra in Libya had announced that over 61,000 refugees were residing in the city, matching the population of locals originally. This led to scarcity of medical and health services in Kufra, which are provided by local aid.
Libya Review/Maghrebi
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