Operations

2,594	Number of personnel (international and national)
98	Number of offices
9.4 Mio.	Estimated number of people of concern (PoC)
USD 1,485.9 Mio.	Overall funding requirements (ExCom-approved 2016 budget)

A. Operational Environment and Strategy

The conflict in South Sudan, which erupted in December 2013, has continued to affect more than 1.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs) and 265,000 refugees of other nationalities in South Sudan, and more than 620,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda. An IASC system-wide level-3 emergency declared in February 2014 remains in effect.
 
The conflict in Yemen also deteriorated in 2015, forcing Yemenis and third-country nationals in Yemen to flee to neighbouring countries, mainly Djibouti and Somalia, as well to Ethiopia and Sudan. This has put further strain on these countries which are already hosting significant refugee and IDP populations.  
 
In 2016, UNHCR and its partners will continue to support governments in the subregion to maintain protection space and manage asylum systems and institutional frameworks. The Office will focus on stabilizing the emergency phase of its response to the influx of South Sudanese refugees throughout 2014 and 2015, while also undertaking emergency response activities for possible new arrivals.
 
For protracted refugee situations in the subregion, UNHCR will advocate to enhance the  self-reliance of refugees, pending durable solutions. With regard to Somali refugees in Kenya, the organization will support efforts to foster conditions inside Somalia that are conducive to sustainable repatriation and to address the needs of host communities in Kenya.
 
Whenever possible, including in Chad, Ethiopia and Uganda, UNHCR will promote out-of-camp strategies for the protection and assistance of refugees. 

B. Response and Implementation

Operations in Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda are presented in separate country chapters. 

In Eritrea, UNHCR will continue to implement core protection activities and provide lifesaving assistance. The Office will also:

1. Promote  solutions-oriented programmes for repatriation, resettlement and socio-economic integration into local communities through livelihood/self-reliance projects that will benefit refugees as well as host communities, and by progressively including refugees in national development programmes and services such as health care, education, and water supply;
2. Extend assistance to host communities to promote peaceful coexistence and preserve asylum space; and
3. Strengthen its engagement with the Government and partnerships with other UN agencies and development actors.