COVID-19 puts pressure on South Sudanese refugees

Subject

The situation of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda.

Significance

When South Sudan’s warring parties signed a peace agreement in September 2018, there was hope that some of the country’s 4.5 million displaced people might begin to return home. Almost two years on, 4.3 million remain displaced. However, for communities such as the South Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda, the COVID-19 crisis is creating new sets of pressures, which could prompt new returns, albeit in undesirable circumstances.

Impacts

• Uganda and South Sudan both face a rising risk of new desert locust infestations, which could further exacerbate food insecurity.
• COVID-19 restrictions have left many refugee camps with major staffing shortages, which will further impact on service delivery.
• COVID-19 in crowded UN protection of civilians sites will increase pressures from the government and UN for residents to return home.