EDINBURGH: Duchess Sophie has made history as a royal family member with her visit to the Republic of Chad. According to the palace, she is the first royal to officially visit the country.
As a global advocate for the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda and a supporter of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), the Duchess traveled to Chad to observe the effects of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, particularly on women and girls. Her visit aimed to highlight the worsening situation affecting Chad and the surrounding region.
During her time there, she visited Adré, a town just 400 meters from the Sudanese border, where around 400 new arrivals from Sudan are recorded daily. At the border registration center for refugees, Sophie met with humanitarian workers from organizations such as UNICEF, UNHCR, Chad’s National Commission for the Reception and Reintegration of Refugees and Returnees, the Chadian Red Cross, and Médecins Sans Frontières.
She listened to their efforts in supporting, registering, and relocating those fleeing the conflict. The Duchess also met with refugees, including women and children, who had recently escaped Sudan.
