US donates 6.5 million dollars to rehabilitate roads in southern Sudan
NAIROBI, April 23 (AFP) — The United States has donated some 6.5 million dollars for the rehabilitation of roads in southern Sudan, where 21 years of civil war has completely ruined the infrustracture, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said in statement Friday.
The funds will help fund a road rehabilitation project, to be coordinated by WFP at a cost of 19.4 million dollars, in the war-torn region to ease the flow of humanitarian aid.
“So far, WFP has received a total of 14.4 million dollars of the 19.4 million required,” the statement noted.
“Improved roads will have further economic benefits, including the movement of people and goods, locally produced food will reach more people at a lower cost, as well as stimulate trade and facilitate access to fuel and portable water,” it added.
Khartoum government officials and Sudan’s People Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels are currently in Kenya’s northwest town of Naivasha trying to find a formula to end Africa’s longest civil conflict, which erupted in 1983 and has claimed at least 1.5 million lives and forced more than four million others to flee their homes.
The humanitarian situation in the south of Africa’s largest nation has been exacerbated by war-induced recurrent famines and diseases.
“We are very proud to cooperate with WFP in such a decisive project for the future of southern Sudan,” said Roger Winter, assistant administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
“This is a first indication of the dividend peace will bring to the people of Sudan,” Winter said in a statement released a day after US President George W. Bush said Sudan foes “are negotiating in good faith.”
Even though the current round of talks are hanging in a limbo, both sides have already agreed on six years of self rule for the south after which a referundum will be held.
They have also clinched deals of transitional security and equal sharing of national wealth, notably oil revenues.
“About 80 percent of the 7,000 tonnes of food being delivered to southern Sudan on a monthly basis is transported by air at vast expenses and road transport will cut costs by at least 40 percent,” the WFP said, adding that roads to be constructed would link southern Sudan to neighbouring Kenya and Uganda.