Assessment of Development Needs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Eastern Sudan

East Sudan has received a continuous
influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees
over the last forty years. Mass influxes were witnessed
during years when the region experienced natural
catastrophes as droughts and floods, or an escalation of
tensions and conflict in neighboring countries, mainly
Eritrea and Ethiopia. Presently there is still a steady but
smaller in numbers influx of refugees, mostly from Eritrea,
but with an apparent change in their social composition and
expectations. Present day internal population movements
relate to more conventional forms of migration within Sudan,
that is, households in search of work and economic
opportunities. Still, the situation of the large number of
IDPs that moved to the area over 15 years ago and are living
in camps is precarious and needs urgent attention. Presently
there are not the basic conditions required to provide a
durable solution to the refugees in a protracted situation
in eastern Sudan. To a large extent that also applies to
IDPs with long permanence in camps; there are not conditions
to achieve self-reliance by most of the displaced population
given the situation of their locations in eastern Sudan in
terms of natural environment and its capacity to support
sustainable agriculture and other urban and rural economic
activities. Within the overall mission of the World Bank,
its strategic objective in contributing towards the durable
solution of forced displacement situations is to bring the
affected countries and displaced population back to the path
of peace and development, enabling the application of
pro-poor policies and fostering economic growth. Under these
conditions, the World Bank will be in a better position to
engage the affected countries through its regular operations.