The United Nations or UN refugee agency hails the decision of South Sudan to accede to the Organization of African Unity, or OAU Convention, governing refugee problems in the region.
‘This signals South Sudan’s commitment to meeting international standards for refugee protection,’ says Ahmed Warsame, UNHCR’s Representative in South Sudan.
The UN Refugee Agency also adds that the decision of the young nation provides additional legal instruments to advocate for refugee rights.
The OAU Convention offers legal protection to a broader category of people, including those fleeing war and civil trouble.
Warsame expresses in a statement the UN’s readiness to support the country in becoming a party to the 1951 Convention with no reservations.
The OAU Convention, adopted on 10 September 1969, is a regional complement to the 1951 UN Convention relating to the status of refugees.