Today, I welcome the progress made by the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to find long-term solutions for 7 million refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in and from both countries.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, and the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, brought together member states and other stakeholders at an event, co-hosted on the margins of the 72nd Annual Session of UNHCR's Executive Committee, to advance discussions and articulate a common vision for investing in solutions for the forcibly displaced across the two countries and the region.
I am greatly encouraged by the exemplary leadership shown by the governments of South Sudan and Sudan in steering the collective pursuit of solutions to help millions of South Sudanese and Sudanese refugees and IDPs, and other refugees in the two countries, to find long-term solutions.
It was especially important that refugees, IDPs, and returnees were part of the processes and consultations on the initiative that took place through the past year, which will continue as it moves forward. For people to finally find hope and home, whether through inclusion in communities where they have found refuge, or through voluntary return to countries and areas of origin, they must be assured that solutions reflect their lived experiences and their needs.
