UN warns Darfur could face new food shortage

GENEVA, Feb 15 (Reuters) – The United Nations urged donors on Tuesday to speed the flow of food aid to Sudan’s Darfur or risk worsening shortages in the conflict-ridden region.

So far, the U.N.’s World Food Programme (WFP) said it had received $240 million out of $438 million sought for 2005 and would struggle to import enough before the rainy season in July limits movement around the vast country.

“Urgent and timely financial backing is crucial to ensure that WFP is able to meet the needs of those most at risk in the coming months,” spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume said.

Without rapid assistance, a recent improvement in the food situation of about two million people driven from their homes by violence in the region could be reversed, the agency said.

WFP said a survey carried out recently by aid agency Save the Children-U.S. in West Darfur had shown malnutrition running at around 6.6 percent among the displaced population.

This compared with levels as high as 22 percent found by WFP in a similar survey last September.

“Despite these improvements, however, food remains crucial. Displaced families rely almost entirely on food aid provided by the World Food Programme,” Berthiaume said.

In addition, much of the food aid received so far had been in the form of cereals, but other commodities, such as beans, sugar and salt, were in perilously short supply, she said.

The vast western region of Africa’s largest country was plunged into turmoil in early 2003 when rebels launched a revolt against the Khartoum government.

The rebels said the government had backed Arab militias in a campaign of violence against black ethnic African groups.