Two women returnees build a shelter in Abyei after fleeing the war in Sudan in 2023. Photo: The Guardian.

Authorities in the Abyei Administrative Area have allocated 300 residential plots to refugees and internally displaced families as part of efforts to accommodate people who fled conflicts in neighbouring regions and sought safety in the area.

According to the Abyei Minister of Information, Yohana Akol, the land demarcation and distribution exercise is aimed at accommodating refugees and internally displaced persons who have settled in the area due to prolonged crises in neighbouring regions.

“As government exercise, working on opening roads in areas and the demarcation is ongoing. Last week completed distribution of 300 housing lands in square 21 in East of Abyei, the distribution complete fast in the presence of Minster of Land and Housing, Law Enforcement, and Minster of Infrastructure all were present,” he said.

The exercise comes as Abyei continues to receive increasing numbers of returnees, refugees, and displaced people fleeing the war in neighbouring Sudan and conflict in parts of South Sudan.

Minister Akol said the government is opening roads and expanding residential areas to support orderly settlement and development.

He said the 300 residential plots distributed last week marked the first phase of the exercise.

“The 300 is the first phase which was done through raffle draw in front of civilians, those who applied their request and it was successful, and transparent,” he stated.

Minister Akol said the government remains committed to ensuring fairness and transparency throughout the exercise while addressing the growing demand for land and housing in the area.

He said additional phases of land allocation are expected as part of broader efforts to improve settlement planning and accommodate vulnerable populations in the Abyei Administrative Area.