The Sudanese government together with the United Nations Refugee Agency say there are plans to establish three more refugee camps within the country to accommodate the growing number of South Sudanese refugees.

According to data collected by the UNHCR, there are close to 400,000 South Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers within Sudan.

The Sudanese Aid Commissioner, Ahmed Mohamed Adam, said there is a rise in number of South Sudanese fleeing to Sudan due to hunger and violence.

He told the media in Khartoum that they have started arrangements with the UNHCR to establish new refugee camps in the East Darfur, West Kordofan and White Nile states.

Mr. Mohamed said the efforts are to decongest the Sudanese capital, Khartoum with refugees.

“This operations will continue in order to organize the presence of the refugees in the capital,” said Mohamed.

He said a number of South Sudanese refugees have already been relocated to camps in Awliya and Dar El-Salam areas.

The World Food Program has also said it is ready to assist in the establishment of the new camps in Sudan, while it continues to deliver food to displaced persons inside South Sudan.

Matthew Hollingworth,WFP Country Director in Sudan, said that they will intensify their work during the month of April before the rainy season to avoid inaccessibility of land routes.

“That operation is absolutely critical at this time particularly given the rains will come in maybe a month’s time, and it will be much harder to deliver,” said Hollingworth.

Mr. Hollingworth said it is more expensive to drop food by air into South Sudan during the rainy season.

“If we have to deliver by aircraft the prices will be ten times as much so we can reach a lot more people with a lot more food,” Hollingworth added.

The UNHCR reported that 60,000 new South Sudanese arrived in Sudan in first three months of 2017.