11,000 Sudanese refugees repatriated
May 07, 2007
OVER 11,000 Sudanese refugees in Uganda have been repatriated after the signing of the Tripartite agreement in March last year, a government official has revealed.
By Ayiga Ondoga
OVER 11,000 Sudanese refugees in Uganda have been repatriated after the signing of the Tripartite agreement in March last year, a government official has revealed.
“Out of the 170,000 Sudanese refugees, over 11,000 have been assisted to return home since the signing of the agreement on March 27, 2006.â€
Musa Ecweru, the state minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, said this at a meeting of the Tripartite Commission on repatriation of Sudanese Refugees at Hotel Africana, Kampala yesterday.
The meeting was attended by a Sudanese delegation led by state minister of interior affairs, Brig. Alieu Ayieny Alieu.
The tripartite agreement was signed by the governments of Uganda, and South Sudan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Ecweru said Uganda had hosted Sudanese refugees since the 1950s.
He noted that the signing of the tripartite agreement was a further commitment by both governments and the United Nations refugee agency to implement the universally accepted solution to the problem of refugees which is voluntary repatriation.
Ecweru, however, said after the signing of the voluntary repatriation agreement, over 3,000 Sudanese refugees entered Uganda.
He observed that insecurity on the roads in South Sudan and the outbreak of meningitis in West Nile slowed down the repatriation process.
UNHCR Country Representative Stefano Severe said: “We have planned to begin assisting refugee families in Adjumani as they too begin their return home to Greater Yei, Juba and Kajo-Keji. Alieu appealed to the refugees to return home to develop their country since security has improved.
OVER 11,000 Sudanese refugees in Uganda have been repatriated after the signing of the Tripartite agreement in March last year, a government official has revealed.
“Out of the 170,000 Sudanese refugees, over 11,000 have been assisted to return home since the signing of the agreement on March 27, 2006.â€
Musa Ecweru, the state minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, said this at a meeting of the Tripartite Commission on repatriation of Sudanese Refugees at Hotel Africana, Kampala yesterday.
The meeting was attended by a Sudanese delegation led by state minister of interior affairs, Brig. Alieu Ayieny Alieu.
The tripartite agreement was signed by the governments of Uganda, and South Sudan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Ecweru said Uganda had hosted Sudanese refugees since the 1950s.
He noted that the signing of the tripartite agreement was a further commitment by both governments and the United Nations refugee agency to implement the universally accepted solution to the problem of refugees which is voluntary repatriation.
Ecweru, however, said after the signing of the voluntary repatriation agreement, over 3,000 Sudanese refugees entered Uganda.
He observed that insecurity on the roads in South Sudan and the outbreak of meningitis in West Nile slowed down the repatriation process.
UNHCR Country Representative Stefano Severe said: “We have planned to begin assisting refugee families in Adjumani as they too begin their return home to Greater Yei, Juba and Kajo-Keji. Alieu appealed to the refugees to return home to develop their country since security has improved.