Vijaya Souri, IOM Chief of Mission in South Sudan. |Courtesy: IOM|.
Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Vijaya Souri reiterated the commitment of her organization to continue supporting the government of South Sudan to overcome the humanitarian crisis created by years of civil wars and the protracted war in the neighboring Sudan.
The civil war between two rival factions of the military government of Sudan, (the Sudanese Armed Forces under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan), and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under the Janjaweed leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commonly known as Hemedti, displaced hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees to South Sudan adding more humanitarian burden to already food insecure country.
This came as Vijaya Souri presented her credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramadan Abdalla Goc in Juba on Thursday, 8 August 2024 as she officially assumed the position of Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Republic of South Sudan.
She met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc to present her credentials.
Souri has been with IOM since 2004 and has acquired extensive experience in migration issues and IOM’s programmes.
She has held various positions in IOM, including Chief of Mission in Burundi, Chief of Mission in Mauritania and Côte d’Ivoire.
Ms. Souri reaffirmed IOM’s support to the people of South Sudan adding that IOM will be a full partner to the government of South Sudan in the effort to promote peace and development and will cooperate with all the humanitarian partners in creating economic opportunities and solutions that will improve self-reliance of the South Sudanese people.
Her professional career includes serving as Senior Technical Advisor in Regional Security and Stability at the IOM Regional Office for West and Central Africa based in Dakar following an assignment to IOM Headquarters in Geneva as Migrant Protection Officer.
IOM has been providing a comprehensive response to the humanitarian needs of migrants, internally displaced persons, returnees, and host communities in South Sudan.
