refugees

A year after the fighting started in South Sudan the country remains in a severe food crisis with up to 2.5m people estimated to be at risk of hunger if the conflict continues, Oxfam warned today.

Gareth Price-Jones, Oxfam's Humanitarian Affairs Representative, said: “Governments meeting in Geneva today had the opportunity to transform the lives of some of Syria’s most vulnerable refugees – an opportunity they largely failed to take

Over 30 international organizations are calling on governments meeting in Geneva tomorrow to commit to offering sanctuary to at least 5 per cent of the most vulnerable refugees from Syria currently in neighboring countries - 180,000 people - by the end of 2015.

In response to WFP food cuts for Syrian refugees, Andy Baker who heads up Oxfam's response to the Syria crisis said: "Millions of Syrians have left their country to flee war, death and destruction. It is unthinkable to leave them hungry. Rich countries must step up and support the World Food Program."

Oxfam welcomes the importance placed in Berlin on assisting neighbouring countries, but words alone are not enough.

The sheer scale of the crisis in Syria demands specific and increased commitments from the international community to help alleviate the suffering.

Western and other rich countries should step up their efforts to resettle Syrian refugees, Oxfam said today after the number registered with UNHCR reached three million.

The leaders of South Sudan have failed to set aside their differences, and fighting continues to ravage the country as a famine looms. 

On the 3rd anniversary of South Sudan’s independence, Oxfam has warned that appeals to fund the aid effort are failing as the country’s humanitarian crisis is spiralling out of control with malnutrition and sickness rising and an ever increasing number of people forced to flee their homes.