Fifteen months of a brutal conflict. Over 12 million displaced or refugees. And now
#famine
declared in
#Darfur
.
Urgent action required to save lives and end this war.
“The warning signs were there for months.
Now we have the tragic confirmation that there is famine in Sudan’s North Darfur region.” -
@mamadou_dbalde
We urge immediate action as famine is declared in Sudan.
I am honored to present my credentials to
@MFA
Ethiopia, as
@Refugees
Representative. Looking forward to advancing protection and solutions, by working closely with the Government and partners.
#GCR
;
#CRRF
.
I met
@KatGraham
and was impressed with her dedication & advocacy for refugee education, and unwavering support of
@made51_unhcr
, where refugees use their skills to earn a living & contribute to local economies. Great to see her join
@Refugees
as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador!
Another alarming report of escalating fighting and grave violations of human rights in
#Darfur
. This decades-long cycle of atrocities must be broken. The protection crisis unfolding in
#Sudan
must receive the attention it deserves & be addressed.
I recently met with refugees & displaced Ethiopians in the Tigray and Amhara regions. They spoke of suffering and a deep desire for normalcy to return.
@UNHCREthiopia
and partners are providing some services, under challenging conditions. But lasting solutions are needed most.
Over the past week in
#Ethiopia
and
#Sudan
I’ve heard painful stories of loss, violence and despair from people displaced by the conflict. Yet I also witnessed resilience & solidarity from people who refuse to give up hope. They are crying out for
#peace
& need more support, now.
On this
#InternationalWomensDay
, I applaud the leadership and dedication of my female colleagues of
@RefugeesAfrica
; and the resilience and courage of refugee women and girls, many of whom have overcome so many challenges.
Investing in women & girls is absolutely essential!
My interview with
@AJEnglish
on latest influx of
#refugees
in the
#Somali
region of
#Ethiopia
. Mostly women & children, they urgently need food, water, shelter, health & protection services. They also told me last week they want
#peace
, to return home!
Rich, productive and healthy exchanges with a great team, to increase support to forcibly displaced persons & hosts in the East, Horn and Great Lakes Region.
#EHAGL
.
@RefugeesAfrica
I have seen first hand how technology inspires refugee girls to dream and be changemakers in society; a powerful tool to a better future for them & their communities. We can’t leave them behind in an increasingly digitized world.
#GirlsinICTDay
Resilience & solutions: some say I sound like a broken record yet I will continue to say it on
#WorldRefugeeDay
& every day, so that no families spend generations in refugee camps; & refugees and their hosts are supported to thrive.
My reflections👇
They made it! So proud of our colleagues in
#Tanzania
who reached the summit of
#Kilimanjaro
today. They hiked to raise funds for equipment that will prevent deadly lightning strikes in refugee camps. There is still time to support their efforts. Learn more here ⬇️
📢Great news: Today, our 3 staff from China, Kenya & Türkiye reached the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro - Africa's tallest mountain to raise funds for lightning arrestors at refugee schools in 🇹🇿.
Your support means refugee children can be safe in a classroom➡️
More and more people are suffering from the conflict in
#Sudan
and thousands continue to flee daily. The world must not forget this major
#protection
crisis.
My messages here 👇
As we celebrate Eid Al-Fitr with our loved ones, I wish all a blessed day especially those who have been forced to flee.
We must all join together to find peace & solutions for the millions of displaced.
#EidMubarak
Very pleased to have welcomed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
@katgraham
back to
#Ethiopia
, a generous country to a large
#refugee
population, along w/
#IDPs
. She witnessed how refugees and host communities can thrive together, but also how more support is needed to build
#resilience
.
As millions gather with their loved ones to observe Ramadan, home is a distant memory for many refugees & forcibly displaced persons- may this holy month reignite more compassion, solidarity & solutions for people forced to flee
#RamadanKareem
The conflict in Sudan continues, sadly.
8.5 million people have fled their homes. And more continue to flee.
Sudan and its neighbouring countries, generously hosting refugees, urgently need international support.
Silencing the guns is as vital as ever!
A year ago, millions of lives were turned upside down when conflict began in
#Sudan
.
At the
#SudanConference
,
@FilippoGrandi
& others called for an urgent end to this crisis. Hoping the conference will bring more support to Sudanese & host countries.
Very happy to start 2023
#RefugeeForum
with enlightening exchanges with refugee youth leaders. We agreed that everyone can and should contribute to the betterment of refugees, until
#solutions
are found.
Over 1,100 refugees have returned to 🇧🇮this week, from 🇹🇿. They told me how glad they were to return home & to rebuild their lives. They also told me about their friends and relatives who wish to return home, but unable to do so due to lack of resources. More support required.
Heard poignant stories from
#refugees
and
#Sudanese
forcibly displaced from
#Khartoum
, due to the ongoing conflict. Communities & families hosting them in
#Gedaref
&
#WadMadani
are overwhelmed. They need urgent support, cessation of hostilities &
#Peace
.
Delighted to join the launch of UNHCR's eCentre for Africa, to support governments and local partners boost emergency response & preparedness. In partnership with
@AU_HHS
&
@MFAJAPAN
, it’s a great platform to share knowledge & experiences for more effective support to populations
A South Sudanese sister.
A Sudanese brother.
Both were living in Khartoum.
Their lives were interrupted by the conflict.
Both have been displaced several times.
I met them today in Kosti.
They want
#peace
; & more support to alleviate some of the many challenges they face.
More than 2 million people have been displaced from their homes in northern Ethiopia and urgently need humanitarian aid.
We need more support to reach people and help them rebuild their lives.
In
#Aweil
🇸🇸, refugees from
#Darfur
, 🇸🇩 are received as brothers & sisters. Was impressed by the Government’s efforts to find alternative to camps. Land for housing & gardening offered. Efforts underway to support skilled refugees find jobs. The way to go. More solidarity sought.
Despite hosting over 1.6 million refugees, Uganda continues to welcome people forced to flee. Yesterday, I met with new arrivals at the Ocea reception centre in
#Arua
, as they receive critical assistance & protection. Uganda's generosity must be matched by more support.
Yesterday, I visited the
#Renk
Transit Site used by former South Sudanese refugees in
#Sudan
to return home. Today, I met some of the returnees in
#Wau
, who are now back in their home country, but need support to
#reintegrate
into their communities.
Unacceptable stories of human rights violations, abuses and sexual violence reported by civilians fleeing
#Sudan
. Read UNHCR’s Protection Brief and support responses.
At the special session on Sudan held today during
@refugees
’ EXCOM, we heard yet again how this is a major
#protection
crisis, with people forcibly displaced many times; & how women & children are most affected.
#Dontforget
#Sudan
.
Glad to have witnessed the launch of the
#AU
Monitoring, Verification and Compliance Mission of the Pretoria peace agreement, in
#Mekelle
. Greater opportunities for normalcy &
#solutions
ahead, including for
#IDPs
!
Pleased to be back in 🇪🇹 w/
@IKEAFoundation
CEO Per Heggenes to witness progress made in strengthening self-reliance of refugees & hosts in Melkadida. With RRS, regional/local authorities & partners, we discussed how to stimulate more support through public–private partnerships.
More than 500,000 people have now fled Sudan.
Each person behind these numbers is suffering. They need our support.
And most importantly, halting the conflict and peace are necessary and urgently needed.
#WorldRefugeeDay
Thank you Asst. Secretary
@PRMAsstSec
, for the rich exchanges. US’s support to
@Refugees
& partners as we respond to the
#Sudan
protection crisis is absolutely critical. Equally so as we work across the region to support resilience and seize solutions opportunities.
Appreciated meeting with UNHCR Regional Director
@mamadou_dbalde
. Thankful for
@Refugees
’ work helping the people of Sudan, facing the world’s fastest growing displacement emergency, and our continued partnership to meet growing humanitarian needs inside Sudan and in the region.
Recent heavy rains in the region are taking a heavy toll on people - including refugees - destroying property & causing further displacement; demonstrating the
#climate
crisis hits the most vulnerable, the hardest.
UNHCR is working with govts & partners to provide relief items.
A warm welcome to the region HC
@FilippoGrandi
& thank you for continuing to draw attention to the
#Sudan
situation.
Ending this brutal conflict is the solution to halting the enormous suffering civilians are facing. Until this happens, people need support.
Today in Renk, South Sudan, I met families newly arrived from Sudan, chased by one of the most brutal wars on earth.
The humanitarian effort here is huge, but a massive increase in arrivals would be difficult to manage — a real possibility which only ending the war can prevent.
Just met with refugee families who've fled the conflict in
#Khartoum
, arriving in White Nile state🇸🇩. 144K new arrivals have strained resources and overcrowded the camps.
We need greater solidarity. Calling upon our generous donors to urgently step up in this time of crisis.
114M are forcibly displaced globally, with many in East&Horn of Africa. There,
@Refugees
& partners face complex challenges in delivering
#protection
& seeking
#solutions
.
But we’re not alone. Thank you to 🇨🇦 and
@HonAhmedHussen
for your leadership and partnership.
Very honored to have welcomed High Commissioner
@FilippoGrandi
in Ethiopia last week. We had fruitful meetings with the Government, the UN Team, donors, and supporters. We also had great exchanges with refugee youth in
#Addis
, and displaced families in
#Tigray
and
#Amhara
.
I had the great pleasure of meeting Ms.
@ZainabHawa
Director General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi. I briefed her on the work of
@RefugeesAfrica
& shared views on opportunities & challenges. Thank you for the support & advice. Looking forward to more engagement.
#OneUN
Delighted to meet
@FrehiwotTamru
, CEO of
@ethiotelecom
, one of Africa's largest telecom operators. We discussed potential areas of collaboration, including expanding tech solutions and training opportunities to refugees and people hosting them in
#Ethiopia
.
@RefugeesAfrica
On
#AfricaDay
, let’s redouble efforts to educate the continent’s children and youth, including those who are forcibly displaced; and equip them with skills for today and tomorrow.
#AfricaDay
#AUYearofEducation
#Peace
Excellent exchanges with
@StatePRM
on the critical links b/w climate & forced displacement ahead of
@COP28_UAE
, the staggering humanitarian needs in the region & opportunities for transforming camps into integrated settlements pursuing self-reliance for refugees and their hosts.
Thousands are still fleeing
#Sudan
for their lives. No longer stopping in immediate neighboring countries. With partners, we need more support to expand services to the displaced & some of their hosts in 7 countries.
#KeepEyesOnSudan
#SolutionsFromStart
Lives lost, families & loved ones separated, properties destroyed, livelihoods destroyed & decimated.
This is the major protection crisis still unfolding in
#Sudan
under our eyes.
My interview with
@TheCurrentCBC
@RefugeesAfrica
.
Very pleased to welcome Nathan Tidwell,
@StatePRM
Regional Refugee Coordinator covering
#Ethiopia
. All of us at
@UNHCREthiopia
look forward to continuing the strong partnership with
@StatePRM
, to advance protection and solutions for refugees and IDPs in Ethiopia.
Pleased to meet refugee & local
#artisans
who brought their beautiful creations to a holiday bazaar at the
@refugeesAfrica
office. Supporting refugee
#entrepreneurs
is essential for them to earn an income, & take care of themselves & loved ones.
@made51_unhcr
Breaking news🚨
In response to the conflicts in Northern
#Ethiopia
pushing children & adolescents out of school,
#ECW
expands its First Emergency Response w/additional $2M, bringing the total investments in
#Ethiopia
🇪🇹 to over $30M.
Read more👉
#SDG4
📚
When I was in
#WadMadani
in August I met people trying to recover after fleeing the violence in Khartoum. Now thousands have been again forced to flee. The protection crisis in
#Sudan
is a tragedy that continues to unfold. The world cannot forget
#Sudan
.
Pleased to attend the launch today of the Refugee Resource Centre at
@uonbi
with
@unhcr_kenya
. It will be a platform to inform policy change based on data and evidence, so
#refugees
, displaced people & their hosts can achieve much needed resilience & solutions.
#WithRefugees
Despite logistical challenges,
#UNHCR
's Core Relief Items are arriving via airlift in
#Sudan
🇸🇩. More are on the way!
These essential supplies will soon reach those in need, providing much-needed relief & support to
#refugees
and Sudanese displaced by the
#SudanCrisis
.
I was just in
#Uganda
and met with some of the +1.6 million refugees there. Encouraged by govt & partner efforts to meet urgent needs - and to support the resilience of refugees themselves in contributing to their communities. More support is vital.
Glad to witness
#IGAD
member states sharing their progress in improving the conditions of refugees in the region, ahead of
#RefugeeForum
. Notably, refugee representatives joined the stocktaking and shared their perspectives. 🙏🏿
@igadsecretariat
Time is running out for millions of people in & around
#Sudan
, with close to 10 millions forced to flee their homes.
Stop the conflict.
Protect and help civilians.
Allow aid access.
The choice clear.
#IASC
Statement 👉
"Untold horrors, violence and fear are driving one million people from their homes each month in Sudan. Today the
@UN
is launching its 2024 humanitarian appeals for Sudan and its refugees".
@FilippoGrandi
#Sudan
needs more support: peace & resources to alleviate suffering.
Untold horrors,violence and fear are driving one million people from their homes each month in Sudan.
Today the
@UN
is launching its 2024 humanitarian appeals for Sudan and its refugees. We are asking for $4.1 billion. Last year only 40% was funded.
We must do better than that.
1/2 Honored to address IGAD’s Ministries of education. What a journey towards inclusive refugee education policies since the adoption of the
#DjiboutiDeclaration
5 years ago! Heard how governments and partners are dedicating limited resources to support refugee education.
Glad to be in
#Tanzania
, a host to hundreds of thousands of refugees. Over 11,000 of them have returned to
#Burundi
this year alone, and are rebuilding their lives. UNHCR, the Government & partners are committed to helping more refugees find durable solutions.
“Today we honour the people who had no choice but to leave home because of war, violence and persecution, and those who host and support them”.
@FilippoGrandi
on
#WorldRefugeeDay
2024.
Today we honour the people who had no choice but to leave home because of war, violence and persecution, and those who host and support them.
No better way to do so than celebrate
#WorldRefugeeDay
in Africa, where displacement is a big challenge but solidarity is a shared value.
On my way to South Sudan to highlight the need for more help to countries bordering Sudan, where a raging conflict is displacing millions. Among them, more than 200,000 South Sudanese refugees living in Sudan have been forced to return home, a big challenge for a fragile country.
The
#Sudan
conflict has tragically entered its 100th day, with millions suffering and more
#refugees
seeking safety in neighboring countries.
@Refugees
renews urgent call for an end to the fighting.
100 days of a brutal conflict in Sudan have left over 3 million people displaced within the country and across borders.
The profound impact upon the lives of millions cannot be overstated!
To protect people from the
#climatecrisis
, we must also protect the environment where they take refuge. Taking climate action today will create a safer, more habitable tomorrow for millions of people forced to flee, even in the face of unyielding crises.
#WorldEnvironmentDay
Deeply worrying reports on
#Sudan
by
@theIPCinfo
. 14 months into a deadly unrelenting conflict, millions of Sudanese & refugees face yet another frontline - a real risk of famine. An untenable situation that must be averted by ending the war.
Securing Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights is critical for the protection of refugees and other forcibly displaced, and for their access to solutions.
I look forward to moderating a high level side event at the 2023 GRF on advancing HLP rights. Join us!
#RefugeeForum
Happy to welcome Ambasaador Stephan Auer of
@GerEmbAddis
, at
@UNHCREthiopia
.
We discussed recent developments and pressing needs of
#refugees
&
#IDPs
; and opportunities to advance protection & solutions in 🇪🇹.
Thank you and 🇩🇪for being one of our strongest supporters!
#GRF2023
An important Dialogue taking place on Monday at the University of Nairobi with
@FilippoGrandi
on how forced displacement & development intersect & can support inclusion & solutions for refugees & host communities around the world. 👇
Fruitful meeting with Amb. Tracey Jacbson of
@USEmbassyAddis
last week. We discussed current work in 🇪🇹, including need for solidarity, for protection and durable solutions for refugees and IDPs.
Thank you to 🇺🇸 government, for your continuous support to
@UNHCREthiopia
.
@StatePRM
Briefed partners yesterday on support to people fleeing the
#Sudan
conflict in neighboring countries. Funding still very low despite massive growing needs.
🙏🏿 to all partners for continued solidarity. More support critical!
I have launched the appeal for renewed support to South Sudanese brothers and sisters, and their hosts. If given the resources, the partners will save lives and support many to thrive and prepare for solutions whenever possible.
Honored to meet with leaders of the East African Community in Arusha. Our strengthened partnership with
@jumuiya
,
@EA_Bunge
&
@EACJCourt
will further improve the quality of protection & search for solutions for
#refugees
&
#IDPs
, who are also citizens of EAC
Pleased to welcome
@Pop_Council
’s Interim Co-President Pat Vaughan & her team at
@RefugeesAfrica
. A strong partnership to enhance reproductive health services, and empowerment of refugee women.
#refugeewomenshealth
Pleasure to meet with
@RESCUEorg
Reg. Vice President East Africa Banchi Dessalegn, to discuss challenges facing the forcibly displaced in the region, and what we can do more together to support them. IRC is a strong partner & ally. Looking forward to our continued engagement.
Thank you President Sahle-Work Zewde. Grateful to
#Ethiopia
for receiving and hosting a large number of
#refugees
, and for driving changes to support refugees and their
#hosts
. More
#solidarity
needed, ahead and beyond
#RefugeeForum
.
President Sahle-Work Zewde bid farewell to the outgoing United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Ethiopia Mr. Mamadou Dian Balde. The President thanked Mr. Balde for his contribution during his term of duty in Ethiopia.
78 years ago, the UN was created, with “We the peoples” determined to “reaffirm faith … in the dignity and worth of the human person”. Yet, for millions of refugees and other displaced, this remains elusive. This
#UNDay
, more than ever, we need peace and to remember these ideals
Meet Miguel, a Venezuelan refugee doctor in Villa del Rosario,
#Colombia
. Thanks to the government recognizing his medical degree, he and his colleagues are now serving refugees and Colombians. Inclusion of refugees is right & smart!
#GCR
@ACNURamericas
Had fruitful exchanges with
@IFAD
Reg. Director Sara Mbago-Bhunu on the importance of investing in
#resilience
to support livelihoods of refugees, their hosts, returnees & IDPs in the region, especially as
#climate
change hits hard. Looking forward to further partnership ahead.
Uganda's Prime Minister
@OPMUganda
speaking of the generosity & solidarity that Uganda continues to show over 1.5 million refugees. Commendable example of how other countries can similarly welcome people forced to flee. Critical to support refugee-hosting countries.
#RefugeeForum
Refugees are at the heart of finding solutions to the issues they face.
@miire06
who founded
@YouthRyeh
, to support education in Dadaab, Kenya, is an excellent example. Congratulations on becoming the 2023
#NansenAward
Global Laureate!
#RefugeeForum
I just met with many families impacted by the devastating war in
#Sudan
. So many futures derailed yet so much determination to keep going.
Thank you
@MastercardFdn
for being
#withrefugees
-supporting their economic inclusion & education is crucial
for protection and solutions.
This
#WorldRefugeeDay
, the Mastercard Foundation honours those who have been forcibly displaced. By working alongside our partners, we aim to ensure that 2.5 million refugees, displaced persons, and host communities are supported in their pursuit of education and employment.
Great exchanges with FDRE President
@SahleWorkZewde
, DPM
@DemekeHasen
, and Ethiopia's partners. Thank you 🇪🇹for generously hosting refugees and to all
#partners
for the progress in implementing the 2016 & 2019
#GRF
pledges. More to come during
#GRF2023
.
6 months of conflict in
#Sudan
is a grim milestone.
6 months of displacement.
6 months of lives upended.
6 months of calls for for peace to return
This storymap ⬇️outlines the difficult journeys of 6 million people forced to flee to find safety.
Great to moderate an informative discussion with
@usmissiongeneva
Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Tressa Finerty, on USA/UNHCR long-standing partnership to advance protection & solutions; & increase global responsibility sharing for refugees. The US is
@Refugees
largest donor.
In a world where most refugees can only dream of
#peace
, it brings hope to see that Burundian refugees can choose to return home. So far this year
@Refugees
and partners have helped over 7,000 to return home from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and other countries - 241,000 since 2017.
Refugees are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children with hopes & ambitions.
This week, 431 refugees made an informed decision to reunite with their families in Burundi. Thanks to Tanzania & Burundi govts.,
@StatePRM
,
@eu_echo
, & partners for supporting repatriation.🙏
Having recently met people affected by the ongoing conflict, in
#Sudan
&
#South
Sudan, I can attest to how desperate this crisis is.
@Refugees
& Partners are making every effort to assist. Without more & urgent donor support, we risk losing lives.
The climate crisis continues to hurt displaced populations - their livelihoods & ability to support themselves are stripped, forcing them on the move again. But, they aren't just enduring the crisis - they’re playing their part to end it.
#COP28
must produce action for them.