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Bentiu - 15 Sep 2021

Unity State govt, WFP discuss humanitarian situation of flood-displaced communities

File photo
File photo

The governor of Unity State and a delegation from the World Food Programme (WFP) held a meeting Tuesday to discuss the plight, interventions, and plans to resettle the flood-displaced communities in the state back to their homes.

The WFP delegation was led by the UN agency’s country director, Mathew Hollingsworth, who said it was important to resettle the flood-displaced communities back to their homes as soon as conditions allow.

"I would like to say thank you for the support that you have provided to so many of the community here in Unity State who have been displaced because of the flooding. With your support and coordination, it is really important for us that the people who are coming to this camp can go home as soon as possible,” Hollingsworth said. “We know that when children, mothers, and adults come to a place like this and if they stay for too long, they lose connection with their homelands. Although right now their lands are flooded, in one or two months, they should be able to go home.”

He added: “So, it is important that the support we provide is recognized as being a short term program to help people when they are in need right now and to focus our efforts on helping them get out or get to the dry area or the Payam where they are from as soon as possible.”

The WFP boss said the humanitarian community is already stretched to breaking point across the country and that the available resources should be for the most vulnerable people.

For his part, Governor Nguen Monytuil thanked the WFP for the visit and their solidarity in helping the flood-displaced communities.

"We are very thankful for the visit of your delegation and the assistance to the people displaced by floods," Governor Monytuil said. “This is a transitional arrangement that we are doing to make them settle and after the rains, they will be relocated back to their original villages."

At the end of their meeting, Governor Monytuil took the WFP delegation on a visit to the Bieruok IDP camp to acquaint themselves with the humanitarian situation there.

Several communities in Unity State were displaced by floods early last month including the Bieruok residential area of Bentiu town and Pakur in Rubkona County.