Minister of Interior Meet the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva

Geneva – Sudanhorizon

On the sidelines of his participation in the Executive Committee meetings of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), currently taking place in Geneva, Sudan’s Minister of Interior, Major General Khalil Pasha Sairin, held important meetings with international officials. On Wednesday, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, he met with Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, with the participation of Moussa Atroun, Sudan’s Refugee Commissioner.

During the meeting, the minister expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the substantial support provided by the UNHCR, praising the agency’s positive involvement in addressing the severe humanitarian challenges faced by Sudan and the refugee situation in the region. He commended the High Commissioner’s field visits to Sudan and neighbouring countries, reflecting the UNHCR’s commitment to directly engaging with the crisis.

Sairin also voiced concern about the insufficient funding for the humanitarian response plan despite the UNHCR’s tireless efforts to rally international support. He emphasised the need for developmental aid for refugees, internally displaced persons, and the host communities that bear the burden of accommodating these refugees.

The minister reiterated the Sudanese government’s commitment to facilitating humanitarian access to those in need within Sudan but expressed concerns about the challenges faced by refugees in some neighbouring countries.

In response, Filippo Grandi thanked the Sudanese Refugee Commission for its close cooperation with the UNHCR office in Port Sudan and expressed his appreciation for the Sudanese government’s continued efforts to welcome refugees despite the difficult circumstances the country is currently facing.