WFP official discusses tripartite initiative in Khartoum and visits Juba
August 14, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The visiting Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the Sudanese foreign ministry officials on Monday discussed the implementation o the tripartite initiative in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, before to fly to Juba in South Sudan.
Sudan and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement –North (SPLM-N) signed earlier this month a deal to deliver humanitarian assistance to the civilians in the rebel held areas. The aid will be distributed from the Sudanese territory and monitored by African Union and Arab league observers.
Ertharin Cousin following a meeting with foreign ministry undersecretary Rahmatallah Mohamed Osman told reporters that the WFP is keen to implement the tripartite initiative the two parties signed in Addis Ababa after talks under the auspice of the African Union mediation team.
She also said they discussed WFP activities in Darfur, eastern Sudan particularly projects related to the return of internally displaced persons and ways to enable smallholder farmers to access agricultural markets.
Osman praised the ongoing support that the UN agency provides to Sudan, stressing government’s readiness to provide all forms of support that facilitate its movement and activity. He further pointed that the competent authorities will prioritise the protection of WFP staffers.
On Tuesday, she will head to the Republic of South Sudan, where she will meet senior government officials in Juba, WFP staff and representatives of donors and partner organizations.
On Wednesday, she plans to visit Bor in Jonglei State, where WFP has been assisting 330,000 residents and returnees with skills training and ‘food for assets’ programmes to help people improve their livelihoods and build community infrastructure such as dikes and dry-season roads.
(ST)