IOM is urgently appealing for USD 3 million to enable it to airlift
to South Sudan 12,000-15,000 South Sudanese currently stranded in
Kosti, White Nile State, 200 km south of the Sudanese capital,
Khartoum.

IOM hopes to start the voluntary movement on Sunday 12th May,
but currently has only USD 2.5 million of the USD 5.5 million it
needs to carry out the operation.  

The operational plan envisages moving people by bus from Kosti
to Khartoum and then by air from Khartoum to Juba, the capital of
South Sudan.  

There are currently no direct commercial flights between
Khartoum and Juba and, because of the conflict in the border area
between the two countries and the rainy season, road transport is
limited to destinations just inside the South Sudan border, where
tensions remain high and large numbers of people are already
waiting in transit camps for onward transportation. 

IOM will need to hire some 25 buses and charter up to 100
flights to move the entire Kosti caseload. It will also have to pay
for medical screening and supplies, operations staff and escorts,
overnight accommodation for the returnees and
food.   

“We need to get clear donor commitments at the outset of
this operation to avoid any sudden mid-way stoppage due to lack of
funds. This is a complex operation and any disruption will have
severe consequences for these people, many of whom are very
vulnerable,” says IOM Sudan Chief of Mission Jill
Helke.   

“The two governments are working very hard to ensure that
everything goes smoothly in terms of providing travel documents for
the returnees and landing clearances for the flights.  Another
important element is arranging for people’s excess luggage to
go to South Sudan by truck,” she adds. 

An estimated 12,000-15,000 South Sudanese have been in Kosti way
station for anything up to a year waiting for transport to enable
them to complete the final leg of their journey to South Sudan.
Most have been living in makeshift shelters in very difficult
conditions, entirely dependent on aid agencies for basic
necessities and services. 

Two weeks ago, the Governor of the White Nile state, where Kosti
is located, gave a deadline to all South Sudanese and international
agencies to leave the area within a week.  Following
representations from the international community, the Sudanese
Government extended the deadline and agreed to facilitate
IOM’s airlift plan. 

For more information, please contact: 

Jill Helke

IOM Khartoum

Email: "mailto:jhelke@iom.int">jhelke@iom.int