Update: Panel Discussion on South Sudan Refugee Crisis in San Diego
Nile Sisters Development Initiative ( NSDI ) is planning to host an informative panel of South Sudanese leaders and key stakeholders who will discuss the founding of ROSS ( Republic of South Sudan ), concerns over ballooning populations of refugees and IDP ( internally displaced people ), as well as the responses by international, national, and local entities.
Refugee Crisis: Spotlight on South Sudan
Thursday, September 28, 2017
3:30pm–5:00pm
The San Diego Foundation
2508 Historic Decatur Road #200
Raymond Executive Board Room
San Diego, CA 92106
Recent South Sudan History
A jubilant world watched as the Republic of South Sudan ( ROSS )
» became the world’s newest country on July 9, 2011, after enduring a tumultuous journey. Earlier in the year, a referendum vote» by indigenous natives in southern Sudan and those in the Diaspora, overwhelmingly decided that southern Sudan would separate from Sudan and become an independent nation.
Prior to the referendum, Sudan, a country located in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)» region held the longest running record for civil war and conflict», dating back to the 1950s. The ongoing instability and violence resulted in several refugee crises, including the Lost Boys of the Sudan», the Darfur Genocide», and numerous other human rights violations».
On July 9, 2017, ROSS celebrated its sixth anniversary of independence. Nestled in Eastern Africa, the young nation has weathered a multitude of challenges, including brewing internal conflict» that has contributed to famine and one of the world’s largest populations of refugees and internally displaced people».
South Sudanese Refugees
As of March 2017, approximately 8% of the world’s refugee population—or 1,769,241 individuals—originates from South Sudan. This number is projected to grow to 2,130,500 by December 2017. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR )», 852,281 South Sudanese refugees are seeking protection in Uganda. Many more are seeking refuge in Central African Republic ( CAR ), Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ), Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan.
An estimated 3,500 refugees from Sudan, Darfur, and South Sudan reside in the San Diego region, a key resettlement area for the Lost Boys of Sudan in the early 2000s and home to around 98 Lost Boys.
More South Sudan Informational Resources
Embassy of Republic of South Sudan in Washington DC»
The Enough Project»
UNHCR Global Focus: South Sudan»
UNHCR South Sudan 2017 Revised Regional Refugee Response Plan: Overview»
USAID Humanitarian Assistance to South Sudan Crisis»
USAID South Sudan Crisis Fact Sheet»
Voice of America South Sudan in Focus»
