Shabnam Baloch, the director of Oxfam in South Sudan, has raised alarm over the continuous decline in international support for Sudanese refugees, which is undermining humanitarian organizations' ability to address growing and urgent needs. The organization has seen a drastic reduction in its capacity to supply water and health services, dropping from serving 10,000 individuals monthly to merely 300 to 400 in recent months, thereby exposing a critical funding gap that threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Additionally, Baloch highlighted that by the end of 2025, approximately 1.3 million people had crossed the border from Sudan, with 600,000 being Sudanese refugees along with returnees from South Sudan. Daily border crossings of about 100,000 people place immense pressure on host communities that are already grappling with their own internal conflicts and are struggling to meet basic needs. This increase in the refugee population exacerbates existing humanitarian challenges in the region, as local services become overwhelmed amidst ongoing resource shortages.

The urgent message from Baloch to the international community calls for renewed attention not to forget those suffering under dire humanitarian circumstances. She urged for solidarity with both the refugees and the host communities, stressing that immediate action and increased support are necessary to prevent further deterioration of humanitarian conditions amidst an escalating crisis affecting displaced populations and strained local resources.