150 Sudanese Refugees Arrive in Port Sudan Today from Uganda

Port Sudan – Sudanhorizon

A group of 150 Sudanese refugees arrived this morning at Port Sudan International Airport from Uganda, out of a total of approximately 93,000 registered refugees there, as part of a voluntary repatriation program, according to the Sudan News Agency.

The returnees were received by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Tourism and Antiquities, Somaya Al-Hadi Ahmed; Director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Onour Ahmed; Secretary-General of the Sudanese Workers Abroad Affairs Authority, Abdel Rahman Sayed Ahmed; and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Voluntary Return in Uganda, Major General (Ret.) Abdel Karim Youssef Yaqoub.

Somaya Al-Hadi stated that this flight marks the first group of Sudanese refugees returning from Uganda, noting that additional flights will follow. She described the return as a positive indicator of the security and stability currently being witnessed in the country. She added that most of the returnees intend to proceed directly to the capital, Khartoum, which she said demonstrates that the capital is fully prepared to receive them.

She highlighted the significant coordination efforts among relevant authorities to ensure the success of the flight, including close follow-up with the Higher Committee and the Sudanese Embassy in Kampala.

She emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to highlighting such return flights to encourage other refugees abroad to opt for voluntary return in light of the country’s improving security situation.

Al-Hadi also conveyed a message to refugees and internally displaced persons that Khartoum is ready to welcome citizens from both inside and outside the country. She expressed appreciation to the Sudanese Embassy in Uganda and the Higher Committee for Voluntary Return.

She further noted that additional flights are planned to facilitate the return of more refugees from other countries, particularly Libya, reiterating that the return movement signals the security and stability the state has long sought to achieve.

For his part, Major General (Ret.) Abdel Karim Youssef Yaqoub confirmed that the flight carried 150 Sudanese refugees and that it is the first from Uganda, with more to follow. He pointed out that joy and happiness were evident on the faces of the returnees.

He stated that officially registered Sudanese refugees in Uganda number around 93,000, with thousands more unregistered, and that most are willing to return to Sudan.

Yaqoub expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Sudanese government and its various institutions for their attention to refugee affairs and efforts to facilitate voluntary return, as well as to the government and people of Uganda for hosting Sudanese refugees and allowing them to conduct business and work freely while treating them well.

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