Tongori – On 15 November 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and authorities of Ouaddaï Province inaugurated a reception site for Chadian returnees fleeing conflicts in neighbouring Sudan. Set up by IOM and humanitarian partners (including ACTED and COOPI) under the emergency humanitarian response, this new site will shelter over 1,000 families while offering them the opportunity to rebuild their lives in dignity.

At the inauguration ceremony, the Prefect of Assoungha, in Ouaddaï Province, expressed his satisfaction with this achievement, which is the fruit of frank collaboration between IOM and the Government of Chad.

“This site is for Chadian returnees living in two provinces with a high proportion of people affected by the Sudanese crisis, on different sites and in host families jointly registered by the local authorities and IOM,” he said. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan, more than 511,000 people have crossed the border into Chad. According to IOM, over 92,203 of these are Chadian returnees, 53% of whom are women. At the onset of the crisis, a large number of returnees had taken refuge in the vicinity of the Lycée d’Adré, located just a stone’s throw away from the Chad-Sudan border, creating an alarming humanitarian and security situation. In addition, the arrival of returnees in this part of the country is worsening the already inadequate living conditions for the host communities.

In coordination with the National Commission for Reception and Reintegration of Refugees and Returnees (CNARR), local authorities and other humanitarian actors, the Tongori reception site was identified to host the returnees, offering them the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.

“I remain confident that the opening of this site will curb the flow of returnees from Adré town to this location to better organize humanitarian assistance and community stabilization for them, and coordinate actions of partners on both sides with people in need, in a bid to effectively improve their living conditions and give them new hope to recover from this shock and build on it,” said Mr Pascal Reyntjens, IOM Chief of Mission in Chad.

In Tongori, since the beginning of the crisis in Sudan in April 2023, over 1,300 transit shelters, 130 shower and latrine blocks as well as 13 water points have been built by IOM and humanitarian partners to provide dignified living conditions for returnees. In addition, space for children, safe space for women, counselling site in case of abuse, community centre and centre for breastfeeding women were set up.

IOM has also provided assistance to returnees in the form of cash, latrines and essential household items.

In addition to the above direct assistance, with IOM’s support, the returnees have set up sectoral committees of youth, women, and community supervision at the site to facilitate management and governance for their well-being.

This project has been implemented with the financial support of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF); US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, and Government of Germany.

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For further information, please contact :

Adeline Tannoné, Programme and Communications Assistant. Email: tadeline@iom.int