South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The Commission for Refugee Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, the Ministry of General Education, and the community-based organisation Shabaka Meisha, hosted a sports and cultural celebration designed to foster peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, the Executive Director of the Commission for Refugee Affairs, Raja Gabriel, emphasised the importance of such events in strengthening social unity.
“We are now continuing to celebrate this sport in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, the Ministry of Education, and Shabaka Meisha. We are celebrating this gathering as a form of social support, which goes beyond entertainment; it represents support for peace, consistency, and social inclusion among refugees and the hosting communities,” Raja said.
Raja thanked the World Bank for funding the programme and acknowledged South Sudan’s ongoing commitment to refugee support.
“I appreciate this day, where refugees from all over South Sudan have come together,” she said. “South Sudan is currently hosting more than 600,000 refugees from countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Eritrea, and Sudan, mostly as a result of the 2023 conflict.”
She reaffirmed the country’s commitment to its open-door policy for refugees.
“As South Sudanese, we have also experienced displacement. Now, we welcome refugees to our beloved country because we understand what it means. We aim to see refugees not only hosted but integrated with access to education, healthcare, scholarships, and durable solutions for a better future,” Raja added.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Nubia Community, Urban Refugees in Juba, Ashraf Ishag Ibrahim, acknowledged the value of the event but highlighted ongoing challenges.
“There are still major issues facing refugees in the country, particularly when it comes to accessing healthcare and education,” Ibrahim said.
However, the representative of the Ministry of General Education’s Project Implementation Unit, Grace Sukeji, expressed her appreciation for the event and the message it conveys.
“I was so happy to be invited to witness this activity. It promotes social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities. While South Sudan has often been associated with conflict, today we are showing the world that we can offer peace and a welcoming spirit,” Sukeji said.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Commission for Refugee Affairs (CRA) in collaboration with various government ministries and international partners, concluded with the awards for the best players in different sports activities.
