By Daniel Tesfa & Mirjam van Reisen
AKSUM | 02 September 2025 (IDN) — The refugee situation in Ethiopia remains one of the most complex and pressing humanitarian challenges in the region. Ethiopia hosts 1,080,563 refugees and Gambella hosts the largest refugee population with 395,470 South Sudanese refugees. Approximately, 79% of the South Sudanese (SS) refugees are women, girls and children. The 2025 South Sudanese response plan is only 9% funded.
Census data show that the Gambella region has over 307,096 citizens and more recent projections estimate an increase of the population to 508,004 people. Gambella is home to five ethnic groups (Anuak, Nuer, and other indigenous groups referred to as the Majang Komo and Opo). Within the host community, Anuak is the dominant ethnic group among the local population, but when the refugees are included, the Nuer form the majority. Gambella has a history of ethnic conflict.
Since 5 March 2025 over 130,000 South Sudanese have fled the armed conflict and violence in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state and been uprooted internally or fled abroad. The ongoing conflict between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-in Opposition)/White Army militias in Nasir and Ulang counties, Upper Nile continues close to the border area.
Facts
- Since March 2025, over 50,000 new refugees have moved into Ethiopia’s Gambella region.
- The primary entry point is Burbiey kebele, located in the Wanthoa district, which has an estimated population of 32,753 residents. The majority of the new arrivals are hosted in Matar and Moun, where local resources are now severely depleted.
- The Wanthoa District Disaster Risk Management (DRM) office reports a daily influx of approximately 300 individuals, further straining host community resources and capacities.
- The Ethiopian government did not provide approval to respond until May 2025.
- 1,022 hectares of land has been provided in Luok Dong to establish a new camp hosting 50,000 refugees. It is 11km from Matar and 138 km from Gambella.
- First level registration started in July 2025, recording 14,177 individuals, of whom 12,379 have been relocated to Luok Dong. Registration paused on 1 August 2025 due to limited infrastructure at Luok Dong specifically shelter and road access; challenges in nationality screening and concerns over the presence of combatants, leaving tens of thousands of new arrivals still awaiting registration and relocation.
- The 2025 Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Sudan Emergency, which includes support for South Sudanese refugees, is only 16% funded.
- A relocation plan has been developed by UNHCR and RRS for Luok Dong site and is awaiting approval from local government. It will then be shared with partners and agencies for input and implementation.
Humanitarian situation
The humanitarian response is under severe pressure. The combination of conflict, displacement, disease and lack of infrastructure has created a critical situation for both refugees and host communities. Immediate action is needed to scale up critical humanitarian lifesaving assistance, relocate vulnerable populations and address protection gaps. Despite the efforts of humanitarian actors, the response is severely underfunded and has left tens of thousands of newly arrived South Sudanese refugees in a dire humanitarian situation. Refugees face severe hardships, including limited access to food, healthcare, protection, shelter and sanitation. Women and children make up the majority, heightening protection risks.
Food
Since 25 July dry food has been provided reaching 46,051 people. Priority has shifted to registered households and those living in Luok Dong, consequently other distributions have been suspended. There is no blanket supplementary feeding programmes in place, for especially children under five and pregnant/lactating women. 2,252 children were screened in the week commencing 4 August 2025, revealing 12.6% malnutrition prevalence. In the absence of General Food Ration distribution (GFRD), both therapeutic and supplementary nutrition will have limited impact in reducing the prevalence of acute malnutrition among children and mother.
Health
The health service is below minimum standards and existing health centres are unable to meet host community and refugee needs. Cholera is a major public health risk. The total confirmed cholera cases in the Gambella region reached 2,592 of which 2,104 cases were reported from Wanthoa woreda. The total death cases related to cholera reached 33, out of which 23 were reporting from Wanthoa woreda. Cholera is spreading fast due to poor living conditions (i.e. roads are very muddy, deep puddles of water, etc), insufficient sanitation provision (i.e. limited latrines in Luok Dong and reception areas) and inadequate health centre capacity.
The Development for Peace Organisation (DPO) is rendering a very strained emergency health service in an open space at first and at a poorly structure temporary plastic shelter at the new site (Luok Dong) and at the Mattar and Moun screening sites which majorly is a referral point to a limited capacitated Nyinenyang primary hospital. In addition, malaria and other communicable and non-communicable diseases are highly prevalent and there is a lack of antenatal care services.
Protection
To date, 1,367 vulnerable children were identified during registration processes out of which 1,151 are separated, 55 unaccompanied, and with 163 other vulnerable cases including 664 girls. Women and children are facing severe protection risks due to lack of dignified shelters, insufficient latrines, absence of referral pathways, lack of safe houses for GBV survivors, lack of counselling and psychosocial support and a shortage of assistive devices and the lack of appropriate support for persons with disabilities.
Shelter
New arrivals in Matar and Moun are living in schools and temporary shelters in flood prone sites, currently many shelters are on muddy ground and will not withstand the upcoming rains/ floods. Whilst 12,379 refugees have moved to Luok Dong, there are insufficient shelters, as at 11 August, 263 shelters have been completed and the remaining households are living under trees, in open spaces or abandoned structures. Whilst shelter construction continues, there is insufficient funding to meet the needs and the poor road access is impacting progress.
WASH
Refugees are facing critical gaps in WASH services. A lack of clean, potable water, along with a lack of functional latrines and other sanitation facilities, has led to widespread open defecation. This, combined with a scarcity of essential hygiene sup- plies, is a major factor fueling the ongoing cholera outbreak and if not properly addressed, it may lead to waterborne diseases and other outbreaks.
Education
Refugee children’s education is at the highest risk in Gambella, where approximately 200,000 school-age children are on the verge of being out of school. According to the UNHCR update, only 54% of the school-age children in Gambella were enrolled, and due to lack of funding, there is a high risk for discontinuity of education in the 2025/26 academic year. On top, education is not prioritized in the emergency response plan, and so far, no single effort for education for the new arrivals
Current challenges
Poor road conditions in Wanthoa host community: The roads are very muddy creating access challenges. For example, the water truck cannot reach the collapsable water tank in Mattar and so uses a series of temporary pipes to fill the water truck. In addition, refugees and host communities are living in muddy conditions and have to walk on poor roads and paths to access services, con- tributing to increased health and protection risks.
Poor road access to Luok Dong: trucks providing water, food and infrastructure materials cannot access Luok Dong camp due to poor road infrastructure and heavy rainfall (as at 13 August 2025). Instead supplies are carried to Luok Dong junction and then a series of mitigating actions are implemented. For example, food is distributed at Luok Dong junction and then, refugees have to walk an average 3 kms to collect it. As of 13 August, people have to walk through big water puddles and on very muddy paths to access Luok Dong by foot. Water is provided at a tank, 1 km away from the junction and again, refugees need to carry the water back to the camp. Infrastructure materials are transported by tractor to the camp. UNHCR are managing the road infrastructure works.
Localized fuel shortages: operations are impacted by limited fuel availability meaning that organisations need to wait over 24 hours in queues to access fuel. Practices such as hoarding fuel and increasing prices are being used by local suppliers.
Flood risk in both Wanthoa woreda and Luok Dong site: the area being occupied by host community member and refugees in both Matar and Moun is a high flood risk based on the last four years’ rainfall, resulting in homes being damaged and road and path infrastructure further damaged. Luok Dong is also a flood-prone site and UNHCR has employed a consultant to recommend mitigation actions, but currently funding is insufficient to translate the advice into implementation.
Lack of registration: has resulted in lack of service provision and inaccurate numbers for response planning.
Security Concerns: Gambella region has a history of internal and cross-border conflict. The ongoing influx of South Sudanese refugees, primarily from the Nuer ethnic group, has exacerbated existing tensions between the Nuer and Anuak communities. This large-scale arrival has overwhelmed local services and created conflict over access to resources.
Improved local coordination: as the efficiency and effectiveness of the response is impacted due to the multiplicity of response locations. Matar, Muon and Luok Dong are approximately 19 kms apart. Problems are caused by moving populations of asylum-seekers, poor road access and fuel shortages as well as the limited network and electricity coverage.
Urgent investment is required in health services, shelter and WASH to control disease outbreaks and provide comprehensive health services.
Recommendation on the way forward:
- Fund the response at scale with appropriate levels of flexibility and adaptability to provide critical life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian assistance in an evolving situation.
- Advocate for unhindered humanitarian access and a principled response with government authorities and key stakeholders.
- Ensure the safety and protection of girls, women and vulnerable groups.
- Facilitate the delivery of timely humanitarian assistance including rapid needs assessments, situational monitoring and registration.
- Address bureaucratic and physical barriers which are preventing delivery of a dignified response, i.e. improved road access, etc.
- Strengthen advocacy efforts to increase the visibility of the needs and support resource mobilization.
- Participate in and strengthen coordination mechanisms to improve the planning and delivery of a timely and appropriate response.
- Work in partnership to ensure delivery of an efficient, effective and coordinated response which avoids duplication and maximize impact with limited resources.
- Conduct regular monitoring assessments and promptly share real time data. [IDN-InDepthNews]