The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it has opened a new camp in northern Uganda to host more South Sudan refugees. The new settlement in Arua will have a capacity of a hundred thousand people.
In its latest statement, UNHCR says the new camp, Imvepi, was opened because Palorinya camp, which was opened in Moyo district in December, is full.
Imvepi hosted South Sudanese refugees before the signing of the 2005 peace agreement.
UNHCR says it was considered a suitable location for the new settlement because the previous infrastructure has remained intact.
The Associate External Relations Officer of UNHCR Uganda, Charlie Yaxley , told Eye Radio that more than 2,000 South Sudanese refugees have already been settled in Imvepi camp.
“…but bearing in mind the continued security situation in South Sudan, we are expecting that potentially as many as 300,000 more refugees could arrive during the course of this year, ” Mr Yaxley said.
According to UNHCR, more than 1.5 million South Sudan refugees have fled to Uganda since 2013.
Last year, every day, on average, more than 2,400 South Sudanese refugees cross the border into Uganda, escaping violence at home, according to the UN.
