Netherlands provides additional €10 million aid to Sudan
April 15, 2024 (AMSTERDAM) – The Netherlands government has announced that it is making an additional €10 million available for emergency aid to Sudan.
This additional assistance was announced by the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher on Monday in Paris, France during a conference on the humanitarian situation in war-torn Sudan.
The funds go to World Food Programme to provide food to the Sudanese people.
“The International Red Cross and Red Crescent is right about this becoming a forgotten crisis,” said Schreinemacher, adding “Sudan rarely makes the front pages even though nearly 18 million people there are facing acute hunger. It is imperative that we step up the international pressure, because a ceasefire is vital.
The millions of Sudanese who have sought refuge throughout the region need prospects for the future.”
In Sudan not only is there a shortage of food, water and medicine, it is also incredibly difficult to get humanitarian aid to those who really need it.
According to the United Nations, only 10% of people facing hunger are currently receiving food aid, adding that in conflict areas it is hard to deliver aid safely.
But in Sudan the warring parties are actively obstructing emergency assistance.
There been concerns that aid workers and aid deliveries are blocked at borders and non-governmental organizations have to contend with all sorts of red tape.
As such, aid agencies urged the warring parties to significantly improve access.
In very hard-to-reach areas, however, local people are playing an important role in delivering aid. For instance, women and young people are in many cases rising to the challenge and offering food, protection and medical assistance.
The additional contribution reportedly brings the Netherlands’ support for emergency aid to Sudan in 2024 to a total of over €42 million. The Netherlands also contributes to the reception of Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), about 8 million Sudanese people have been internally displaced, with 2 million fleeing to the surrounding countries.
(ST)