IOM Ethiopia restarted its evacuation of South Sudanese refugees from the Gambella border to camps inside the country this week. Some 571 people were moved from Akobo to Burbiey.

The camp-to-camp relocations, which have moved over 40,000 people, are designed to relocate people from flood-prone border camps. Last year many of refugees in the camps were forced to flee to higher ground. This year, due to the swift camp-to-camp relocation, this has been avoided.

Currently there are 1,875 refugees registered and ready to be transported from the Akobo border entry point to safer camps in Gambella.  The last movement of people from the border was carried out at the end of April 2015.

The refugees stranded at Akobo will be transported to safety in six days.  The refugees will be transported to Burbiey by boat and then to Matar way station by bus. 

The Ethiopian Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and the UNHCR are looking into the possibilities of constructing and expanding several camps to accommodate the number of South Sudanese fleeing to Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is currently hosting the highest number of refugees in Africa, with 704,816, as of 30 June. Of these, 265,402 are South Sudanese, according to UNHCR.

Map: Refugees and Asylum-seekers in Ethiopia

For further information, please contact Alemayehu Seifeselassie at IOM Ethiopia, Tel: +251 11 6611117 (Ext. 455), Mobile: +251 91 163 9082, Email: salemayehu@iom.int