Southern Africa: Sudan's UN Envoy in Geneva Receives UNHCR Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

What the report says

Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Hassan Hamid Hassan, met on Wednesday with Mamadou Dian Balde, the UNHCR regional director for East and Southern Africa, according to the Sudan News Agency report distributed by AllAfrica. The meeting took place at the envoy’s office in Geneva and focused on the situation of Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries and across the wider region.

The discussions also covered efforts to support refugees and encourage voluntary returns. The article says the rate of voluntary return has been rising in recent months, which it links to improved security and stability in most states in Sudan. Hassan briefed the UNHCR official on government preparations for receiving returnees, including work by the National High Committee for Voluntary Return and Reintegration, chaired by the minister of human resources and social welfare.

The envoy also described government efforts to repair strategic service facilities damaged by the Rapid Support Forces, which officials say is part of restoring basic services for people coming back. Balde, for his part, expressed appreciation for cooperation between Sudan and UNHCR’s country office in Sudan and said the agency would continue working on the refugee situation despite limited resources. The meeting underscores the humanitarian and reconstruction challenges tied to Sudan’s displacement crisis and the broader regional impact of the conflict.