In response to the escalating crisis along the Sudan-Ethiopia border, the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) has been urgently activated to support the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in providing relief to refugees fleeing conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Over 30,000 Ethiopians have sought safety in eastern Sudan, with the numbers expected to rise as the conflict continues. In response, IHP is mobilizing resources to establish three base camps in the border areas of Sudan to support UNHCR’s operations and the influx of refugees.
The violence in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia has led to widespread displacement, with many refugees crossing into Sudan’s eastern states of Kassala and Gedaref. UNHCR, in collaboration with the Sudanese Commissioner of Refugees (CoR), local authorities, and humanitarian partners, is working to provide immediate lifesaving assistance and monitor the evolving situation. As the refugee numbers continue to grow, inter-agency coordination and contingency planning are critical to providing effective support.
IHP members, led by MSB Sweden, are coordinating a rapid scale-up of activities to provide essential infrastructure to support UNHCR’s operations. The partnership is mobilizing resources to deploy three tented base camps in strategic locations at the border:
- Hamdayat border: 30 working spaces and 30 overnight spaces
- Village 8: 20 working spaces and 20 overnight spaces
- Umrakuba: 30 working spaces and 20 overnight spaces
The base camps will provide inter-agency office space and accommodation for humanitarian teams working in the field. The mobilization efforts are being carried out jointly by IHP members: MSB Sweden, DSB Norway, DEMA Denmark, ERB Estonia, and CGDIS Luxembourg. The deployment is supported by the respective governments and is closely coordinated with the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM).
Cover Photo Credit: UNHCR/Hazim Elhag
