OCTOBER SEES LOWEST NEW ARRIVALS IN 2018 SO FAR – January saw the highest number of new arrivals in 2018 with nearly 5,800 individuals, and arrivals have been in steady decline since, with just 721 arrivals in October, including zero new arrivals reported in East Darfur State. Inter-agency partners agreed in July to revise new arrival estimates for 2018 to 50,000 by year-end, from an original estimate of 200,000, following the notably slower rate of new arrivals in the first half of the year.

TOTAL SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEE POPULATION INCREASED TO 851,313 INDIVIDUALS, FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF UPDATED POPULATION STATISTICS – This revised figure incorporates updated statistics from finalized registration processes conducted by the Government of Sudan’s Immigration and Passport Police (IPP) in Gedaref, Al Gezira, Nile and Northern States. It also includes the increase of the out-of-the-camp population in White Nile State by 79,000 based on as inter-agency assessment targeting out-of-camp locations. The revised total population figure is reflected in the 2019-2020 Refugee Response Plan (RRP) and in the 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). The revised figure will not affect RRP or HRP budgets, as refugee programming is based on assessed needs.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL SUDAN (PIS) COMPLETES FIELD SURVEY ON SCHOOL DROP-OUT FOR REFUGEE AND HOST COMMUNITY CHILDREN IN AL KHOWEY LOCALITY, WEST KORDOFAN – PIS and national partner ALAAN Charity Organization conducted home visits with 130 refugee and host community families in the locality to identify drivers of school dropout. The main reasons for dropout cited by families include: children needing to work to support household income; inability to cover costs of school fees and supplies; household responsibilities (i.e., the need to support sick parents and provide sibling care); and discrimination. These issues underscore the links between livelihoods gaps and education access for both refugee and host community children in West Kordofan. Protection and education partners are collaborating on ways to address these issues. Scale-up of diversified livelihoods interventions and education assistance to support school retention is needed.

2018 MARKS LOWEST RATE OF NEW ARRIVALS TO SUDAN SINCE START OF SOUTH SUDAN CONFLICT IN DECEMBER 2013 – Nearly 1,700 South Sudanese refugees arrived in Sudan in December, bringing the year-end total of new arrivals in 2018 to 33,117. This is below the revised annual arrivals estimate for 2018 of 50,000. Inter-agency partners estimate a maximum of 50,000 new arrivals in 2019.

UNICEF AND UNHCR COMPLETE 2nd ROUND OF NUTRITION CAMPAIGN IN WEST KORDOFAN STATE – The campaign is part of the accelerated nutrition action plan initiated in October following the outcomes of the 2018 Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS). Nearly 3,700 South Sudanese refugee children were screened, with referrals of malnourished and at-risk children made to local nutrition programmes for treatment. The action plan also integrates infant and young child feeding (IYCF) support, with over 2,700 pregnant and lactating women referred for IYCF counselling and supports. These campaigns have also been completed for refugee camps in White Nile State and targeted localities in South Kordofan State, as part of inter-agency efforts to scaleup the nutrition response to address critically high global acute malnutrition (GAM).

At the heart of Ethiopia's innovative new refugee framework is a more comprehensive response to displacement in which refugees are included in national services like health and education, rather than setting up parallel systems. It also focuses on ensuring refugees have the opportunity to be self-reliant and can contribute to local economies in a way that also benefits their hosts.

SUSPECTED MEASLES CASES REPORTED IN CAMPS IN WHITE NILE STATE – Over 60 cases among both refugee and host communities have been reported in White Nile State clinics, with 55 of these cases reported in January in Al Redis II, Al Kashafa and Jouri camps. Measles vaccine coverage in the affected refugee camps is less than 50 per cent. A vaccination campaign in White Nile refugee camps is planned for mid-February.

In February, there were reports that 500 South Sudanese returned from Uganda, 200 from Ethiopia and 100 from DRC. Although there is neither facilitation nor promotion of refugee returns to South Sudan, as the current conditions are not yet conducive for durable, safe and dignified returns, UNHCR recognizes the refugees’ right to return and has protection mandate for monitoring refugee returns, including those that return in a self-organized manner

UNICEF & UNHCR held a Regional meeting on the Global Compact On Refugees (GCR) and application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) in Eastern and Southern Africa (16 and 17 April 2019)

On 30 June, a first case of Ebola was confirmed in Ariwara, Aru Territory, DRC. In order to strengthen preventive measures to contain the virus, UNHCR and its partners conducted four mass sensitization sessions in Biringi, Aru and Aba targeting refugees and host community members.