Arrival of the first voluntary repatriation flights for Sudanese refugees from Uganda, supported by Kuwait
Khartoum, Aug 16 (KUNA) – The first direct flight under the project supporting the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Uganda, funded by the Kuwaiti Direct Aid Association (DAWA), arrived today at Khartoum International Airport, carrying 150 beneficiaries. This marks the beginning of a program expected to transport more than 1,000 refugees.
The flight, which departed from Entebbe International Airport, is the first voluntary direct return flight between Uganda and Khartoum under the project, which aims to facilitate the return of approximately 200 refugees per week, with flights continuing over the coming weeks.
Speaking to KUNA, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Sudan, Dr. Fahd Al-Zafiri, stated that the voluntary repatriation project for Sudanese refugees is implemented in accordance with the directives of the wise political leadership and continues the humanitarian role played by Kuwait since the outbreak of the war in Sudan.
Al-Zafiri explained that the project represents a successful model of humanitarian work that can be built upon and generalized in the future for Kuwaiti, Arab, and international charitable associations. He noted that it targets the reunification of families and households separated by the war, and responds to appeals from Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries’ camps who wish to return voluntarily and safely to their homeland, given the restoration of security and stability in several Sudanese states and regions.
He added that Kuwait, through DAWA, took the initiative to support this pathway in response to these needs, praising the association’s role as one of the most prominent models of charitable and humanitarian work in Sudan and the African continent.
Al-Zafiri expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Sudanese authorities for the facilitations they provided, which contributed to the project’s success, emphasizing that cooperation among various relevant parties is a key factor in the success of voluntary repatriation programs.
He stated that the true value of the initiative lies not only in the number of air tickets provided, but also in the target groups, including students wishing to return to their classrooms, families seeking reunification, and the most vulnerable categories who lack the resources to cover return travel costs.
He affirmed that this initiative embodies a shift in humanitarian work from immediate response to sustainable impact on beneficiaries’ lives, by helping families, students, and needy individuals regain their lives and return to their homeland safely and with dignity.
For his part, Sudan’s Ambassador to Uganda, Ahmed Ibrahim, told KUNA that the support provided by DAWA to the project comes at a “very critical stage” and represents a “qualitative leap” in the nature of support provided to Sudanese. He praised the association for sponsoring a large number of air tickets and operating direct flights from Entebbe International Airport to Khartoum.
Ibrahim clarified that the project’s importance is not limited to the number of beneficiaries, but also encompasses the nature of the returnees, noting that the flights include students, employees, and families who have spent long periods in Uganda and have lost some sources of livelihood there.
He commended the coordination preceding the project’s implementation and the efforts made by Kuwait’s Ambassador to Sudan, Dr. Fahd M. Al-Zafiri, as well as the direct coordination between DAWA’s offices in Khartoum and Uganda to secure and sustain the provided support.
He emphasized that Kuwaiti support reflects the nature of Sudanese-Kuwaiti relations, noting that Kuwait has stood by Sudan since the beginning of the crisis and provided generous humanitarian aid to the Sudanese people, extending to internally displaced persons in various states of the country through the Direct Aid Bridge.
On his part, DAWA’s Office Director in Uganda, Nour Al-Huda Al-Ajeb, told KUNA that the initiative came in response to the growing humanitarian needs of Sudanese refugees, coinciding with an increasing desire among some of them to return to Sudan amid the gradual improvement of conditions in several states and cities.
Al-Ajeb explained that the project aims to provide safe and dignified returns for beneficiaries and to reunite families separated by war and displacement. He noted that beneficiaries include the elderly, the sick, women, children, and university and school students wishing to resume their education.
He added that the first flight included families from the Kriangdongo and Masindi camps, along with several students whose return coincided with the announcement by their universities in Sudan of the resumption of academic activities, necessitating their urgent return to enroll in classes or take exams.
He indicated that flights will continue at a rate of 200 to 230 refugees per week as part of a program aimed at expanding the scope of voluntary repatriation and facilitating the return of those wishing to go back to Sudan.
Uganda hosts approximately 95,000 Sudanese refugees since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, while some refugees are looking forward to returning to their homeland as conditions improve in several areas, amid efforts to expand voluntary repatriation programs and provide safe and organized pathways for returnees. (End) M.A.M / M.A.H.A
