Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reaffirmed its commitment to helping South Sudanese returnees from Sudan rebuild their lives after displacement caused by the Sudan conflict but urged collaborate with many other entities.
During a visit to the Malakal Transit and Bulukat Centers, IOM’s Deputy Director General for Management and Reform, Ms. SungAh Lee, hailed the ongoing humanitarian operations as a powerful demonstration of resilience, partnership, and international solidarity.
“First of all, I’m really impressed with the operation here. I am meeting families who went through a long journey to come and arrive here in Malakal. The current funding situation is challenging. That’s why we need to first really collaborate with many other entities, other UN agencies, but also governments and local communities,” Ms. Lee said.
“Second, we want to make sure that our humanitarian work also leads to transition, recovery, and resilience—empowering the local community and local stakeholders so they can continue to live with dignity and stability in their life. One is to build resilience. We need to have essential infrastructure and basic services covered. Second, we need to provide capacity building, skills, learning, so that local communities can continue this work forward.”
Ms. Lee stressed that IOM’s humanitarian efforts must go beyond immediate relief, focusing on transition, recovery, and long-term resilience to ensure displaced families can regain dignity, stability, and self-reliance.
Her remarks come as the Bulukat Transit Center continues to host hundreds of returnees each day, providing food, shelter, healthcare, and protection services for people fleeing the Sudan conflict.
Since its establishment in mid-2023, the center has supported over 223,000 people, through collaboration between IOM, UNHCR, and the Government of Upper Nile State.
Ms. Vijaya Souri, IOM’s Chief of Mission in South Sudan, said the relocation operation was primarily designed as a humanitarian initiative to decongest overcrowded sites and move people to areas where they have stronger social and family networks.
She clarified that while there is no specific reintegration package linked directly to this operation, returnees and displaced persons continue to benefit from existing assistance programs in their new communities.
“The operation was designed to connect people to ongoing support initiatives rather than create new programs specifically for the relocated groups,” Ms. Souri explained.
The IOM continues to call on the international community and development partners to sustain and expand support for initiatives that empower returnees to rebuild their lives and strengthen community resilience across South Sudan.
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