infrastructure andservices. Thesubstantial reductions intheprogrammes forassisted refugees inpartbrought aboutbyUNHCR's financial crisis, whichforcedcutsininitial allocations ofsome18percentin1989anda further 12percentin1990,didnothelpallaytheconcerns behind such attitudes. 1.17.4 Itshouldbenotedthatthereductions resulted bothfromthe financial crisis andfromplogramme rationalization pursuant toanevaluation described further below. Examples ofsucheconomies werethephasing outof activities thathadlittle impact onimproving refugee welfare, ordidnot promote refugee self-reliance, andtheelimination in1989ofoveraquarter ofthepostsinthelocalprogramme support structure in eastern Sudan. However, thecancellation ofplanned construction invarious assistance sectors, reduced levelsofmaintenance andrepairs tobuildings and equipment, thesuspension ofinternational procurement ofreplacement vehicles andotherequipment, andothermeasures takeninresponse tothe financial crisiswillhavenegative consequences andimplyincreased levels ofexpenditure inthefuture.A/AC.96/751(Part I) page82 1.17.5 Acomprehensive evaluation oftheprogrammes intheeastern and central Sudan,aswellasoftheprogramme support structure, wascarried out byUNHCRearlyin1989.Thisgeneral survey wascomplamented byothermore technical, evaluations undertaken byUNHCRspecialists andbyexternal consultants, toassesstheimpactofassistance activities atthesectoral level,inrelation totheobjectives ofpromoting refugee self-reliance and durable solutions inlocalsettlement. Theevaluations covered the following sectors: watersupply, sanitation, healthandnutrition, shelter/infrastructure andeducation. Therecommendations werepartofa continuing efforetorationalize andagr~Ecloar pr~9ramme objoetives. In addition, athorough evaluation oftheprogrammes inwestern Sudanwas carried outbyUNHCRinMarch1990.Theresultant recommendations focused on howbesttoachieve voluntary repatriation forthemajority oftherefugees, andlocalsettlement fortheminority forwhomvoluntary repatriation cannot yetbepromoted. 1.17.6 Another objective that ~asbeingpursued waslong-term sustainability ofsettled refugees, through linking andeventually integrating, wherever possible, refugee-specific activities withregional development project~ suchasthosebeingimplemented bytheWorld r~nk,the European Community (EC)andbilateral donorsinrefugee-affected areas. The WorldBank/Government ofSudan/UNHCR agriCUltural project, whose implementation overafive-year periodbeganin1989,wastargeted tobenefit smallfarmers, including refugees inthelandsettlements ineastern Sudan, unassisted refugees, andnationals. UNHCRwasalsoproviding assistance in refugee-affected areaswithtrustfunddonations. Bastern Sudan(EthiOpiap rafugees) 1.17.7 Attheendof1989,some272,500 Ethiopian refugees werebenefiting fromUNHCRassistance intheeastern andcentral regions. Thisincluded some 16,500newarrivals in1989,mainly fromtheEritrean andTigrayan regions, whowereaccommodated atexisting reception centres. Thetotalnumberof refugees receiving fullcareandmaintenance atthefourreception centres was116,100 ascompared toatotalof156,400 atthe20established settlements. IntheRedSeaProvince, agroupofsome20,000refugees in SouthTokarcontinued toreceive careandmaintenance, whileself-settled refugees inPortSudanandSuakin, estimated at70,000, wereindirectly assisted byUNHCRthrough support tothelocalinfrastructure inthose towns. Amajorconcern waswhether eventsinnorthern Ethiopia wouldleadto anewexodusintoeastern Sudan. Accordingly, contingency planning was undertaken, andessential supplies pre-positioned, butnomajorinfluxhad occurred tymid-1990, though some14,700 newarrivals werereported inthe firsthalfof1990.Thisbrought thenumberofassisted Ethiopian refugees toatotalofover377,000. Southern Sudag(Ugandan refugees) 1.17.8 Withthecompletion oftherepatriation operation inMarch1989,
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the activities and programs implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist refugees in Sudan, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, services, and humanitarian aid. The text also touches on the economic and financial aspects of the programs, including budget cuts and evaluations.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International relations