UN chief welcomes decision to reopen key border for aid delivery in Sudan
August 17, 2024 (NEW YORK) – The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres has commended the decision by the Sudanese authorities to reopen a crucial corridor for aid to enter the country, his spokesperson said on Saturday.
The Adre border crossing with Chad, which is the most direct and efficient route for humanitarian aid to reach millions in Sudan’s Darfur region who are facing record levels of acute hunger, has been closed for most of the year.
A recent assessment by the Famine Review Committee (FRC) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) concluded that famine conditions are prevalent in parts of North Darfur, including the Zamzam camp in El Fasher.
The situation has been worsened by the escalating violence in Sudan, which has been persisting for over 15 months now, severely impeding humanitarian access.
The Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, south of El Fasher town is one of the largest IDP camps with an estimated population of at least 500,000.
“The Secretary-General underscores the importance of concrete and sustained measures to facilitate humanitarian access and protect civilians, in accordance with the obligations of Sudanese parties under international humanitarian law and previously agreed modalities,” said the UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
“Humanitarian organizations must have full, safe and unhindered access to reach all civilians in need across Darfur, and across the country as a whole,” he added.
The UN pledged its full commitment to working with all relevant stakeholders to help end the conflict in Sudan and alleviate the suffering of the population.
In February, Sudanese authorities revoked permission to use the Adre crossing, making the Tine crossing the sole route for cross-border humanitarian aid delivery from Chad.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed the news of border reopening, stressing that the development will allow the agency to scale up assistance to 14 areas facing famine in Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazirah.
The aim, WFP stressed, is to support up to 8.4 million people by the end of the year.
Since conflict broke out in Sudan in mid-April 2023, WFP has been warning of a spiraling hunger crisis, calling on the warring parties to allow humanitarian access.
(ST)