New Zealand provides more aid for Sudan

WELLINGTON, June 22, 2004 (Xinhua) — New Zealand is contributing a further 1 million NZ dollars (about 620,000 US dollars) to Sudan to help deal with what United Nation officials are calling one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, Aid Minister Marian Hobbs announced Tuesday.

The New Zealand Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization, will each receive 500,000 NZ dollars for their work in the Sudan, Hobbs said.

Three weeks ago New Zealand contributed 2 million NZ dollars ( about 1.24 million US dollars) to the World Food Program and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) operations in Sudan and neighboring countries.

Several New Zealand Red Cross delegates including medical and logistics personnel are in Sudan right now. The funds will directly support their work, meeting the most urgent needs of conflict victims and ensuring sick and wounded people have access to medical and surgical treatment.

Sudan is a country in a state of chronic crisis and over 4 million people have been displaced. The Sudanese population affected by the conflict in Darfur in the western part of the country urgently need shelter, access to water and sanitation and health-care, in addition food shortages are looming.