WFP resumes humanitarian activities in North Darfur

March 1, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The World Food Programme (WFP) has partially resumed humanitarian operations in North Darfur State with a special focus on malnourished children, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

The world’s largest humanitarian agency had suspended its activities in December 2021 following looting attacks on its three warehouses in El-Fasher.

“Nutrition programmes for malnourished children and pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as school meals programmes, have now resumed in the region,” said a statement in Khartoum.

The WFP aims to reach 122,600 people with nutrition support and 321,000 schoolchildren with school meals in 2022.

“We hope that security conditions will allow us to continue our work and we urge all parties to continue to provide safe access for humanitarian workers and protect humanitarian assets and supplies so that we can reach people who are in need of assistance,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP Representative and Country Director in Sudan.

The attacks on the WFP warehouses and the former UNAMID camp by armed elements affiliated with the signatory groups were criticised by the IDPs in North Darfur camps.

They called on the UN Security Council to re-establish the UNMAMID to protect them.

For its part, Sovereign Council instructed the armed groups to withdraw their combatants out of the state capitals including Khartoum after providing the needed money for the cantonment sites.

Gradually, will extend general food assistance to around 362,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). However, a major funding shortfall of US$285 million for the next six months (March-August 2022) is jeopardising its operations.

Without new funds, WFP may have no choice but to make further cuts and the impact could be devastating, said the statement

(ST)