Inauguration of new IOM office in Juba

"Among the UN agencies operating within Southern Sudan, the International Organisation (IOM) for Migration has achieved a particularly strong cooperation with the Government of Southern Sudan" (GOSS). The Acting Director General in the Ministry of Regional Cooperation, Daduol Lualweng Wuol, made these comments during the official inauguration ceremony of the new office premises of IOM last week in Juba’s Northern Bari, the site proposed to be the new industrial area.

Wuol said that IOM has established a strong relationship as it has been working hand in hand with the Ministry of Regional Cooperation in all aspects as in terms of coordination but also in terms of support to GOSS. He further pointed out that the building elected has proved to all agencies that IOM is dedicated to new construction in Southern Sudan and this is in accordance with the report registered by the Ministry of Regional Cooperation, hence manifesting its determination to improve on the livelihoods of the citizens of the south. He urged them not only to continue in returning and repatriating but also after resettling the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) they should construct schools for the children in Northern Bari area so as to prevent them from traveling the long distances which can risk their lives.

IOM has been in Sudan since 1998, helping in the return and reintegration of Sudanese people and building national capacity in Southern Sudan. IOM is a real symbol of good cooperation and good relationship with Southern Sudan. It does not only deal with repatriation but also it helps to improve the livelihood of those resettled.  For example it has resorted to offering clean water by drilling 20 boreholes in eight Payams of Aweil East, Aweil West and Aweil North of Northern Barhel el Gazel State and Kajo-Keji county.  IOM also provides medical care, feeding and resettlement packages.

Furthermore, the chairman of the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Simon Kun Puoch, said that the IOM had managed to convince Khartoum to allow them into the northern refugee camps in order to register those southerners taking refuge there and attempt to repatriate them. The number of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees brought back by the IOM to Southern Sudan is siad to be about 2.2 million.

The Commissioner of Juba County, Dr. Pius Vincent Subek, who also stood in to represent the Bari community extended thanks to Payam authorities of Northern Bari who offered land to facilitate the activities of IOM, hence benefitting the whole nation. He promised to be supportive in whatever the organization is planning to do in the future.