The United Nations Mission in South Sudan says that it has told some of its staff to leave the country. UN agencies in the country are doing the same.
“Due to the recent fighting in Juba and subsequent associated operational challenges, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and UN agencies, funds and programs in South Sudan have ordered the temporary relocation of some non-critical staff,” reads a statement from the mission yesterday.
The peacekeeping mission stated, however, that it will continue ‘critical operations’ together with UN agencies, including running the protection sites and relief programs.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman of the UN secretary-general in New York, said that the evacuations would be “temporary”.
Organizations that are part of the United Nations system such as UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, UNESCO, UNAIDS, among others, are likely affected by the order.
Humanitarian airline UNHAS, which is operated by the UN World Food Programme, told customers in South Sudan yesterday that it would operate “relocation flights to Nairobi” today, with the first flight departing Juba at 10:45 a.m.
NGOs and UN organizations wishing to make use of the service have been asked to send the airline a list of staffs whom they want to evacuate. UN Department of Safety and Security will prepare a consolidated list for the evacuation process.
UNHAS advised passengers that luggage weight should not exceed 12 kg per passenger to enable UNHAS take as many passengers as possible.