We are pleased to share with you the 2019 mid-year report on the South Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) and the country mid-year reports from the DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. So far thanks to your support and efforts we managed to:  Provide 1.27 million South Sudanese refugees with food assistance  Ensure 11,500 South Sudanese refugee mothers delivered their babies safely with the assistance of qualified personnel  Assist 322,000 South Sudanese refugee children to attend early childhood development, primary or secondary school  Plant 622,000 new seedlings and reforest 2,911 hectares of land in Uganda, Kenya and Sudan in an effort to address environmental degradation

WFP'S CASH-BASED TRANSFER PROGRAM IN EAST DARFUR A SUCCESS: In 2019, WFP’s cash-based transfers to all South Sudanese refugees in Al Nimir refugee camp (home to more than 12,800 refugees in East Darfur State), have enabled many to rent land and farm their own crops by providing them with the capital they need to purchase the inputs they need and fund land access. Previously, most refugees in the camp were only able to work as labourers on host community farms. UNHCR is discussing with a private sector company how to include the refugee production of peanuts in the already existing host-community value chain

URGENT FUNDING NEEDED TO COVER VECTOR CONTROL CAMPAIGNS IN WHITE NILE CAMPS – The State Ministry of Health conducted vector control campaigns in all camps, through support from WHO. Vector control campaigns are an essential component of disease prevention programmes in refugee camps. Funds are urgently needed to cover vector control and water quality activities through to the end of 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).

UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Coordinator (RRC) and Special Advisor for the South Sudan situation carried out a brief to Ambassadors and Head of delegations in Nairobi on the needs of South Sudanese refugees on July 6, 2018 at the invitation of the Australian High Commissioner, H.E. Ms. Alison Chartres.

UNHCR is working closely with the Government of Sudan to improve South Sudanese refugee access to documentation and identification (ID) in Khartoum through a phased registration process. The Government's Immigration and Passport Police (IPP) unit initiated the first phase in mid-February to verify the total number of South Sudanese refugees living in Khartoum and issue them with foreigner ID numbers. Over 22,000 refugees have been registered by the IPP so far. The 2nd phase will be led by UNHCR and COR with biometric registration in order to support their access to protection, documentation and other assistance. Biometric registration will likely start in May and will be rolled out concurrently with the IPP process.

UNHCR and the Government's Commission for Refugees (COR)’s joint protection monitoring have identified significant protection issues involving the assault of refugees by host community members in Al Lait locality, including the killing of a refugee man over a dispute, physical assault of a refugee minor and two refugee men and one reported sexual assault of a refugee woman.

UNHCR and the Government of Sudan’s Commission for Refugees (COR) completed the distribution of an NFI package of blankets and plastic sheeting to over 10,000 households across ‘open area’ settlements, including 8,541 refugee households (benefiting 57,346 refugees) and 1,496 of the most vulnerable host community households adjacent to settlement areas. The package will provide interim shelter assistance while inter-agency partners develop a more sustainable shelter response.

UNHCR TO PROVIDE PLASTIC SHEETING AND OTHER NON-FOOD ITEMS (NFIs) FOLLOWING FLASH FLOODING IN EL NUHUD, WEST KORDOFAN - Flash flooding caused injuries and destroyed homes, public buildings and shops in El Nuhud locality, where nearly 4,000 South Sudanese refugees live. UNHCR and the Commission for Refugees (COR) conducted an initial rapid needs assessment on 24 July. UNHCR will provide 3,000 NFI kits to locality residents, including plastic sheeting. The local primary school attended by both refugees and host communities was also affected, with damaged latrines and fencing. OCHA led an inter-agency needs assessment for areas affected by flash flooding on 30 July.

UNHCR TO COVER DRUGS GAPS IN REFUGEE CAMPS AND EL LERI SETTLEMENT TO THE END OF 2019; ADDITIONAL FUNDING STILL NEEDED – UNHCR is procuring essential drugs to address supply gaps in health clinics in refugee camps in White Nile and East Darfur States, and for the El Leri settlements in South Kordofan State. The procurement will cover essential drugs supply needs for one year, with an additional four months’ supply allocated as contingency stock. Funding is urgently needed to cover drugs supply gaps in other out-of-camp refugee settlements in all States across the response.