From left to right: UNHCR country representative Marie Helene Verney, and South Sudan's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Albino Atak during a meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2025 - Photo Courtesy

The government of South Sudan and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have engaged in discussions about the escalating plight of South Sudanese refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma camp, following violent protests sparked by deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

The protests erupted when refugees took to the streets to voice their concerns, prompting Kenyan police to fire live and rubber bullets, injuring several individuals.

On Monday, community leaders from the camp shared with Eye Radio that tensions were high after the clashes with security forces.

According to South Sudan’s Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Albino Atak, a meeting was held on Thursday, March 6, to address the ongoing struggles not only of those in Kakuma, but also South Sudanese refugees in other regions, including Egypt.

“This meeting focuses on our refugees, South Sudan’s refugees in the region, mainly in Kakuma in Kenya, who have been raising an alarm, who have been actually calling, who have been raising their voices about the suffering that they are going through,” Minister Atak said.

He also highlighted the dire conditions in Sudan and Egypt.

“There are also South Sudanese in Khartoum and across Sudan who are suffering. Others are in places like Egypt, and we have also assisted in transporting them with the help of the UN. To date, we have transported over 700 back to safety,” said Atak.

“With this meeting, we want to explore what can be done as the government and the UN to improve the situation, even if it means sending teams to Kakuma or other areas to gather more information.”

UNHCR’s Country Representative, Marie Helene Verney, echoed Minister Atak’s concerns.

She pointed to funding cuts as a key reason behind the deteriorating situation in Kakuma, which has made it increasingly difficult for the UN refugee agency to meet the growing needs of the refugees.

“We were talking about the situation of South Sudanese refugees in the region, in particular in Kakuma camp in Kenya, but also South Sudanese in Sudan. Two very different situations, and the situation in Kakuma is a concern for UNHCR all over the region,” Verney stated.

“This is due to funding cuts that are quite severe at the moment, and we were exploring with the minister what South Sudan could do, and also, of course, the Kenyan authorities who remain responsible for the safety of refugees in Kakuma.”

She also addressed the continued influx of refugees from Sudan, saying, “We also addressed the issue of the situation in Sudan, with the very, very high numbers of continued arrivals from Sudan—more than 1.1 million since April 2023.”

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees, who fled the civil conflict that began in December 2013 and 2016, have sought refuge in Kakuma and Kalobeyei camps in Kenya, as well as camps in Sudan.

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, both the South Sudanese government and UNHCR are working to find ways to alleviate the suffering of the refugees and ensure their safety and well-being in the region.