Abandoned at the Border: IOM Sounds Alarm Over Funding Crisis in South Sudan

Juba/Geneva, 20 June 2025 – As war rages on in Sudan, thousands fleeing violence continue to cross into South Sudan in search of safety. But a critical lifeline for these vulnerable people, onward transport assistance (OTA), has now been suspended due to severe funding shortfalls. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is urgently appealing for 6.5 million US dollars to resume these life-saving operations.

Since the beginning of June, OTA has been drastically scaled back, with only one bus and one truck departing each day from the Joda border to Renk. This is a far cry from what is needed to meet the overwhelming demand. Without immediate funding, thousands remain stranded at border points, many in dire physical and emotional condition.

“The people arriving in South Sudan have already endured unimaginable trauma – conflict, displacement, and profound loss,”, said Amy Pope, Director General of IOM.

“It is unconscionable that, after surviving so much, they are now left stranded at the border without the means to reach safety or rebuild their lives. We cannot allow financial constraints to determine whether people live with dignity or languish in desperation. The time to act is now. This lifeline must be restored – urgently.”

IOM’s OTA programme enables displaced persons to move safely from entry points to their chosen destinations within South Sudan, where they can reunite with family, access basic services and begin to rebuild their lives. The suspension of this critical service has already led to increased strain on host communities, heightened risk of disease outbreaks and competition for already scarce resources such as water, healthcare and land.

South Sudan has been generous in maintaining an open-door policy. Since conflict erupted in Sudan in April 2023, nearly 1.2 million people have crossed into the country. Of these, 68 per cent are South Sudanese returning home, while 32 per cent are Sudanese refugees. Yet South Sudan is grappling with its own humanitarian challenges, including the long-standing impacts of internal conflict, climate shocks and disease outbreaks.

From May 2023 to date, IOM has supported over 570,000 new arrivals with transport from border entry points to transit centres, and more than 250,000 to their final destinations. These routes, often spanning hundreds of kilometres, can take more than five days and involve multiple modes of travel, including buses, barges and aircraft. The most affected locations include Wau, Juba and Bentiu.

As the crisis evolves, patterns of movement are shifting. New waves of arrivals continue to place pressure on already overstretched border towns like Renk. At the same time, there has been a surprising reverse flow. Since April 2025, approximately 85,000 people have left South Sudan for Sudan, many driven by deteriorating conditions in host areas and lack of essential services.

Many of those arriving at the border are in critical condition. Exhausted, malnourished and often traumatised, they include unaccompanied or separated children, elderly people, persons with disabilities and those requiring urgent medical attention. Without onward transport, they are left to languish in transit areas with little support.

Looking ahead, IOM estimates that 125,000 new arrivals will enter South Sudan between July and December. At least 43,000 of them are in urgent need of transportation support. The humanitarian organisation is calling on donors and partners to step in immediately to help prevent a worsening of an already precarious situation.

“The need for this service is now greater than ever,” IOM warned in its 20 June statement.

“We urge the international community to act quickly, not only to restore this vital service but to ensure that those fleeing conflict are treated with dignity and compassion.”

As global attention shifts elsewhere, the fate of thousands of displaced people hangs in the balance at South Sudan’s borders. For them, transportation is not a convenience. It is a question of survival.

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