UN agencies warn of devastating implications for Darfur

March 7, 2009 — Six United Nations agencies issued a joint statement saying that a government order against sixteen non-governmental organizations “will have devastating implications for the citizens of Darfur.”

Aid operations in North Sudan are the largest humanitarian emergency in the world costing $2 billion annually, said the UN.

The ousted NGOs, which do not include the UN agencies, are accused of spying for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and attempting to defame the Government of Sudan. So after the ICC ruling, the authorities announced the expulsion of at least 13 foreign aid groups and the dissolution of two local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

“The decision to expel these sixteen organizations, our main implementing partners, effectively removes some 6,500 staff, or 40% of the humanitarian workforce, from being able to carry out critical humanitarian activities in Darfur.

“These organizations provide a lifeline to 4.7 million people in Darfur alone, and millions more in other areas of Northern Sudan. While some 85 international NGOs operate in Darfur, without these organisations much of the aid operation literally comes to a halt” said the UN statement.

Accordingly, the UN warned that efforts to fall critical gaps left by the ousted NGOs would not be sufficient to meet humanitarian needs in the long run.

Aid officials are currently engaged in reiterating their appeal to the government for a reversal of the order. However, today a senior foreign affairs official, Mutrif Siddig called the move against the aid groups “an irreversible decision.”

The agencies’ joint statement was endorsed by UN Children’s Fund, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Joint Logistics Centre, World Food Programme, World Health Organization and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

(ST)