Today, South Sudan joins the rest of the world in celebrating Refugee Day. The theme for this year’s celebration is “one family torn apart by war is too many”.

At the national level, the celebrations of the World Refugee Day have been organized by the Commission and the United Nations Refugee Agency in Juba and Maban County in Upper Nile State.

The Deputy Chairperson of Commission for Refugee Affairs, John Dabi, told Eye Radio that over 200,000 South Sudanese have fled to the neighboring countries over the last six months.

“The total number of those who have become refugees in the neighboring countries are about 250, 000,” said Mr Dabi.

More than 80,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in Sudan since the conflict erupted in December last year, according to the.

The rest fled to Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda.

“They are being protected in those countries by the United Nations’ mandate and the host counties.”

The United Nations estimates that over three million South Sudanese have been internally displaced by the conflict.

Globally, the number of people forced to flee their homes because of war or persecution in 2013 alone exceeded 50 million since the World War Two.

A report by the UNHCR says the overall figure of 51.2 million is 6 million higher than last year.

The head of UNHCR, Antonio Guterres, said the rise was a ‘dramatic challenge’ for aid organizations.

“Conflicts are multiplying, more and more,” Mr Guterres said. “And at the same time old conflicts seem never to die.”

The UN says the Conflicts in Syria, Central Africa Republic and South Sudan have fuelled the sharp increase.