PHOTO: South Sudan and Egypt flags - Courtesy

The government has announced plans to facilitate the voluntary return of 20,000 vulnerable South Sudanese from Egypt as part of efforts to respond to growing humanitarian challenges facing refugees and other nationals in the North African country.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the Gender and Youth Cluster chaired by Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior.

According to the South Sudan Embassy in Egypt, about 100,000 South Sudanese nationals are currently living in Egypt, including 57,000 registered as refugees with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Speaking after the meeting, Minister of Youth and Sports Atong Kuol Manyang said the government will begin by repatriating 20,000 refugees who have expressed willingness to return home.

She said the initiative will cover transportation and support for their reintegration into communities across South Sudan.

“We were informed through our embassy in Egypt that there are over 100,000 South Sudanese nationals there, and among them, 57,000 are registered by UNHCR as refugees. Our government is planning to start with about 20,000 of those refugees who are willing to come back to South Sudan. They will be repatriated, including transportation and support for their settlement within the country,” she said.

The minister said discussions during the meeting underscored the urgency of the initiative due to the difficult conditions many South Sudanese are facing in Egypt.

She noted that those expected to benefit from the first phase of the repatriation include women, children, youth and other vulnerable individuals, including some South Sudanese who have been arrested.

The proposed repatriation programme forms part of broader government efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and support the sustainable reintegration of returning South Sudanese nationals.