“On the fifth anniversary of the start of conflict in South Sudan, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing again to all parties to continue pursuing a sustainable and lasting peace.

“The people of South Sudan, many of whom have been displaced multiple times in their lives, deserve an end to their suffering,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “Peace must prevail. The wounds of this conflict will take time to heal, but that process can only be sustained through warring parties engaging in dialogue, finding political solutions and laying down their arms once and for all.”

More than 2 million South Sudanese refugees have been forced to flee their homes and seek safety in neighbouring countries, while another 1.8 million have been internally displaced inside the country, becoming the largest source of displacement on the African continent. Nearly two-thirds of the displaced are children under the age of eighteen.

UNHCR stands ready to assist efforts to achieve a genuine and inclusive peace process, including supporting the meaningful and inclusive participation of refugees in any agreement.