The Netherlands launched the Prospects Partnership in Sudan today, in partnership with the United Nation’s Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Refugee agency (UNHCR), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank.

In a context of refugee and forced displacement situations being increasingly long-term, the six partners pledge to work together building on each other’s strengths and to look for sustainable solutions to support comprehensive programmes for forcibly displaced people and the communities that host them. Self-reliance and empowerment are at the heart of the Prospects-approach.

The Partnership is a four-year, multi-country initiative aimed to help refugees and forcibly displaced individuals with sustainable solutions to support better integration and inclusion. Supporting host communities and strengthening social cohesion are also critical parts of the approach. Prospects hopes to transform the way governments and other stakeholders respond to forced displacement crises by promoting an environment for socio-economic inclusion, improving access to education and protection for vulnerable people and children on the move, and strengthening the resilience of host communities.

Speaking at the launch of the Prospects Partnership today Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag said, “Sudan has a young population, so education is especially important. If you need to give them prospects with a capital P, you will need to invest in the private and public sector in creating new kinds of jobs to help Sudan.”

In Sudan, partners have agreed to work jointly in East Darfur and West Kordofan States that host approximately 100,000 and 50,000 South Sudanese refugees respectively as well as internally displaced people and have traditionally received limited support. Consultations with them showed that the lack of livelihoods is a primary concern. They have also expressed their concern about school-drop out and exclusion. Initial activities are taking place under the partnership since 2019 – such as improvement of opportunities for education and life skills trainings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Roland Schönbauer, Senior External Relations Officer, UNHCR Office, Khartoum Tel. +249 912 179 387

Email address: schoenb@unhcr.org

NOTE TO EDITORS

■ Financially supported by the Netherlands, each of the partners contributes their expertise to the partnership. UNHCR brings to the partnership its mandated role to lead, coordinate and provide protection, assistance and solutions for refugees and other displaced persons. UNICEF will strengthen national and regional capacities to provide education and child protection for children on the move. ILO will work to strengthen inclusive socio-economic growth and decent work. The World Bank commits to invest in education, livelihoods, private sector development, social protection, and service delivery, including by supporting progressive policies for refugees. IFC commits to bringing private sector solutions to refugees and host communities to the partnership.

■ The other countries benefiting from the partnership are Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. The Netherlands has pledged to invest €500 million in the partnership over the next four years.

■ The partnership will achieve its objectives through economic inclusion and mainstreaming of services; it will empower refugees and host communities to meet their needs in a sustainable manner by reducing aid dependence and discouraging negative coping mechanisms through equitable access; it will invest in the host economy; promote non-discrimination against and prepare children – refugee and host community – for their futures; create inclusive policies and strengthen the service delivery systems. The partners are committed to work in the two states to roll out programmes jointly in order to create synergies and continuity between the humanitarian, and the development interventions of this programme.

■ The partnership invests 40 million euros in Sudan over the course of four years.

About UNHCR :

UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency that is mandated to protect and assist refugees. An unprecedented 70.8 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 25.9 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. UNHCR’s work remains as vital as ever before. For more information about UNHCR visit: www.unhcr.org. You can also follow news on refugees on Twitter @RefugeesMedia and @UNHCRinSudan and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/UNHCR)