UN calls for national strategy on IDPs

Francis Deng, the UN Secretary-General's Representative for internally displaced persons (IDPs) has said Sudan should step up its efforts to tackle its rising IDP population. During his visit to Sudan from 11 to 18 September, Deng met Sudanese President Umar Hasan al-Bashir, to whom he proposed the development of a national strategy on internal displacement. The strategy should include the establishment of a national focal point on IDPs and an institution with a specific mandate for meeting the needs of all those affected, Deng said. He said Sudan had much to gain from being seen to be taking the lead on internal displacement, both at the international level in advocating for the cause of the internally displaced, and at the national level, in responding to the needs of its own citizens.

The US Committee for Refugees (USCR) reported in June that, by the end of 2000, Sudan had the largest population of IDPs in the world - over four million people. Sudan also accounted for more of the world's refugees and IDPs than any other African country, USCR added.