A group of 150 Sudanese refugees arrived at Port Sudan International Airport on Friday from Uganda, as part of a voluntary repatriation program. The returnees are among approximately 93,000 Sudanese refugees officially registered in Uganda.
The delegation was received by Dr. Sumaya Al-Hadi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Tourism and Antiquities; Ambassador Onour Ahmed, Director of the Consular Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Abdulrahman Sayed Ahmed, Secretary-General of the Sudanese Working Abroad Affairs Authority; and Major General Abdel Karim Youssef Yaqoub, Head of the Higher Committee for Voluntary Repatriation in Uganda.
Dr. Al-Hadi described the flight as the first to bring Sudanese refugees back from Uganda, noting that additional flights would follow in succession. She characterized the return as a positive indicator of the security and stability the country is currently experiencing. She further noted that most of the returnees intend to travel directly to the capital, Khartoum, which she said demonstrates that the city is now fully prepared to receive its citizens.
Al-Hadi highlighted the extensive coordination and efforts undertaken by relevant authorities to ensure the success of the operation, pointing to close cooperation with the Higher Committee and the Sudanese Embassy in Kampala. She affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to publicizing such initiatives in order to encourage other refugees abroad to opt for voluntary return amid what she described as improving security conditions.
She conveyed a message to refugees and internally displaced persons that Khartoum is ready to welcome citizens both from within the country and abroad. Al-Hadi expressed appreciation to the Sudanese Embassy in Uganda and the Higher Committee for Voluntary Repatriation, adding that further flights are planned to facilitate the return of additional refugees from other countries, particularly Libya. She emphasized that the repatriation effort reflects the long-sought security and stability pursued by the state.
For his part, Major General Yaqoub confirmed that the flight carried 150 Sudanese refugees and marked the first such operation from Uganda, with more flights expected to follow. He said joy and relief were evident on the faces of those returning home.
He noted that approximately 93,000 Sudanese refugees are officially registered in Uganda, in addition to thousands who are unregistered, adding that the majority have expressed a desire to return to Sudan. He extended his gratitude to the Sudanese government and its institutions for facilitating the voluntary return process, as well as to the Ugandan government and people for hosting Sudanese refugees and allowing them to conduct business and work freely under what he described as fair and hospitable conditions.
