Sudan’s Interior Ministry on Tuesday announced that the registration process of all South Sudanese nationals who have been affected by conflict in South Sudan has officially kicked off.

Director of Passports and Immigration Ahmed Atta El Mannan said in a press statement that the registration aimed assessing the number of South Sudanese nationals so that services can be provided to them during their say in Sudan.

He added the South Sudanese refugees are enjoying freedom as per the directives of President Omar El Bashir.  

In December last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) signed a memorandum of understanding with the interior ministry. The deal allows regularising the status of about 500,000 South Sudanese residing in Sudan including over 350,000 who had never returned to their areas of origin after the independence of South Sudan.

The agreement allows the South Sudanese to stay, work and move freely in Sudan, said UNHCR’s representative in Sudan Mohammed Addar. Addar further said an ID card will be delivered free of charge to each South Sudanese in Sudan.