![[Central African Republic (CAR)] Bruno Geddo, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) delegate to the Central African Republic. [Date picture taken: 10/11/2005]](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/200510122.jpg.webp?itok=nrPWTiCP "Bruno Geddo, the UNHCR representative in the Central African Republic.")
At least 10,000 Sudanese refugees in the Central African Republic are to be repatriated after an agreement between the government and the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, an agency official said.
"The repatriation of some 10,000 stranded Sudanese refugees will resume in M’Boki Camp in October," Bruno Geddo, the UNHCR representative to the CAR, said in Bangui on Thursday.
The refugees were stranded in M'Boki when an earlier repatriation effort was suspended in April with the closure of the Sudan border because of growing insecurity in eastern CAR and constant border crossings by Chadian rebels.
Geddo said the CAR government would facilitate the refugees' return home.
The CAR still hosts 14,000 Sudanese refugees in Kaga-Bandoro, Bangui and Bangassou, Zemio, Obo and Bambari. In 2005, the country recorded 34,473 arrivals from Sudan, according to UNHCR.
Geddo said food aid would also be supplied to the refugees in M’Boki Camp, with the first consignment arriving next week.
"It will help alleviate the food insecurity facing nearly 5,000 vulnerable refugees who have stopped farming since the first phase of the repatriation," he said.
The food aid is estimated to cost US $80,000, representing one-third of the money allocated by the UNHCR Central Emergency Response Fund to help the refugees in M’Boki, he said.
The first phase of the repatriation began in February after a tripartite agreement was signed by the CAR and Sudanese governments and UNHCR. Some 2,155 Sudanese refugees were repatriated.
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"The repatriation of some 10,000 stranded Sudanese refugees will resume in M’Boki Camp in October," Bruno Geddo, the UNHCR representative to the CAR, said in Bangui on Thursday.
The refugees were stranded in M'Boki when an earlier repatriation effort was suspended in April with the closure of the Sudan border because of growing insecurity in eastern CAR and constant border crossings by Chadian rebels.
Geddo said the CAR government would facilitate the refugees' return home.
The CAR still hosts 14,000 Sudanese refugees in Kaga-Bandoro, Bangui and Bangassou, Zemio, Obo and Bambari. In 2005, the country recorded 34,473 arrivals from Sudan, according to UNHCR.
Geddo said food aid would also be supplied to the refugees in M’Boki Camp, with the first consignment arriving next week.
"It will help alleviate the food insecurity facing nearly 5,000 vulnerable refugees who have stopped farming since the first phase of the repatriation," he said.
The food aid is estimated to cost US $80,000, representing one-third of the money allocated by the UNHCR Central Emergency Response Fund to help the refugees in M’Boki, he said.
The first phase of the repatriation began in February after a tripartite agreement was signed by the CAR and Sudanese governments and UNHCR. Some 2,155 Sudanese refugees were repatriated.
jb/aw/oss/mw
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