Governor James Odhok Oyay briefing the US ambassador to South Sudan, Michael J. Adler on the humanitarian situation in Upper Nile State during his visit to Malakal town - Credit: Upper Nile Governor

The U.S. Embassy in Juba on Tuesday reiterated a call on the government of national unity to ensure public revenue is used to meet the humanitarian needs of all its people, including displaced persons nationwide.

In a statement issued on Ambassador Michael Adler’s recent visit to Malakal, Upper Nile State, the embassy called on the government to use public money for humanitarian needs.

“On December 14 Ambassador Michael Adler visited Malakal in Upper Nile State where he heard first-hand from people about the challenges they face. The visit was also a chance to gain visibility on UN peacekeeping operations,” stated the statement.

The Ambassador was joined by personnel from the U.S. Embassy and from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Organizations Office of Peacekeeping Operations.

The press release stated that intercommunal violence in the Malakal protection of civilians site this year led to the relocation of thousands of people and tremendous hardship.

In a remark, Ambassador J. Adler revealed that government assistance to returnees and refugees from Sudan to South Sudan this year will exceed 100 million US dollars.

He said, “The transitional government must ensure public revenue is used to meet the humanitarian needs of all its people, including displaced persons.”

In an audio to Eye Radio’s newsroom, US Embassy Executive Assistant Marites Eustaquio read out the statement.

“Intercommunal violence in the Malakal protection of civilian’s site this year led to the relocation of thousands of people and tremendous hardship,” Marites Eustaquio said.

“Meanwhile, South Sudan continues to grapple with the needs of over two million internally displaced persons nationwide, and the number of people fleeing conflict in Sudan is expected to reach 500,000 by the end of this year.

“U.S. Government assistance to returnees and refugees from Sudan to South Sudan this year will exceed $100 million, bringing total U.S. government humanitarian assistance to the people of South Sudan to more than $550 million in Fiscal Year 2023.”

The United States also contributes over $300 million annually to UN peacekeeping operations in South Sudan.

Amid increasing global demand for humanitarian assistance and shrinking donor resources, the transitional government must ensure public revenue is used to meet the humanitarian needs of all its people, including displaced persons nationwide.