South Sudanese refugees in Sudan are to benefit from new efforts by Khartoum to improve humanitarian access.

Last week, Sudan amended the “Directives and Procedures for Humanitarian Action”, a move which has been welcomed by the US Government.

It says the revised directives are an important stage in improving humanitarian access within Sudan.

The US Government believes that when implemented, “these revised regulations will facilitate humanitarian actors’ efforts to get aid to those in need.”

In a statement by the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Mark C. Toner, the US Government says it recognizes this as a positive step and expects to see sustained improvement in humanitarian access.

According to the UN-OCHA, Sudan hosts some 360,000 refugees and asylum seekers from nearby countries, namely Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

South Sudanese has the largest refugee population in Sudan, with over 260,000 arrivals since conflict erupted in South Sudan in December 2013.