New York - The White Nile: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called for more "solidarity and generosity" towards those fleeing violence in Sudan, where lack of funding is hampering humanitarian operations, while neighboring countries have begun to impose some restrictions on access to their lands. According to a UN news release we received A copy of it on Wednesday morning
UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator for Sudan, Mamadou Dian Balde, said he had heard "painful and heartbreaking stories" of families who had lost everything because of the war as he traveled across the country over the past six days.
He stressed that these stories are similar to the experiences of refugees who crossed into neighboring countries, "which have generously received them", including Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic, as well as South Sudanese who have returned to their homeland.
Speaking via video link from the city of Kosti in White Nile state, which borders South Sudan, Mr. Baldi told reporters in New York that he had seen humanitarian workers continue to support civilians, despite the huge risks associated with the conflict.
He said that the arrival of humanitarian aid is of utmost importance inside and outside the Sudanese borders, where there are 3.6 million internally displaced people, while about 947,000 fled the country, the majority of whom are Sudanese, in addition to refugees from neighboring countries who still need international protection.
The Regional Refugee Coordinator noted that while neighboring countries showed solidarity and opened their doors to those crossing the Sudanese border, especially at the beginning of the crisis, UNHCR has recently witnessed bureaucratic barriers and access challenges.
He warned that barriers to movement across borders, as well as a lack of funding, increase the risks of smuggling, human trafficking and out-of-country travel.

tough times
The humanitarian appeal to support refugees fleeing Sudan in the region currently stands at about $600 million, but only 31 percent of the total amount requested has been received.
Mr. Baladi stressed the need for significant humanitarian and development funding to be made available as soon as possible to support refugees and their host communities and respond to their immediate needs, including in the areas of health, food and nutrition.
He said such support would also help prevent tensions in some countries where host populations could not access such services.
The Regional Refugee Coordinator stressed the urgent need to end the fighting in Sudan to alleviate the suffering of the population, including the refugees. Until then, he highlighted the need to provide them with protection and support in these difficult times.