Sudanese refugees strain Chad, UN urges international support

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has spoken about Chad being overwhelmed following the taking in of Sudanese refugees fleeing from the Darfur region, urging international assistance to help Sudanese refugees. Africanews via Associated Press reported on UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Kelly Clements’ statements on November 8th.

Chad has reportedly kept its borders open, warmly welcoming refugees for decades. However, their hospitality towards refugees has been tested by a recent influx of migrants who are fleeing a humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces (RSF). With an estimated 40,000 dead alongside reports of starvation, mass displacement, disease and ethnic cleansing prevalent across the country, many have fled to other areas, such as the neighbouring Chad, to seek respite from the conflict.

The situation in the Sahel countries has been recognised by more and more international organisations recently, with the Red Cross and WHO speaking on the current crisis in Sudan.

On November 6th, the Deputy High Commissioner of the UN’s refugee agency issued a call for greater international aid. She emphasised that although Chad has played an important role in aiding these refugees, the limited resources of the country cannot manage the influx of people alone. “This is where we need the international community’s continued and even increased support to be able to do much more here in Chad, but also to try to reach those communities in need inside Darfur,” she said.

Clements went on to describe her experience meeting refugees residing in Chad who had escaped the recently sieged city of el-Fasher. Families reportedly lived under unbearable conditions for 500 days, experiencing trauma that will stay with them for a lifetime. She described the Sudanese refugees as people in need, stressing the urgency for safety, clean water and the chance to start again to be provided through international aid from the international community.

Africanews via Associated Press, Maghrebi.org