Sudan briefs aid workers on new measures concerning Darfur

KHARTOUM, May 22, 2004 (SUNA) — State Minister at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Mohammed Yousif Abdalla briefed Saturday representatives of the UN agencies and the voluntary organizations on the measures adopted by the government concerning delivery of humanitarian aid to Darfur states and facilitating the procedures of entry visa.

In a press statement, the minister said the procedures are easy, starting by notifying the ministry on the travel, the programme of the visit and the areas to be visited and the name of the person 48 hours before the start of the journey.

He added that the coming meeting with the organizations would tackle determining the humanitarian needs, distribution of aid and coordination to implement the measures and exchange of information on them.

On the expulsion of the UN employee from Darfur, the state minister said she was prevented from working in Darfur as her presence there constituted an obstacle besides her non cooperation with the authorities there, pointing out that she can work in any other area except Darfur.

Responding to a question on a statement by Doctors without Borders organization that there was a famine in Darfur, the minister said the organization is not the concerned body and that the competent body is the joint mission between FAO and the Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture.

The state minister said the coming donors’ conference would work to cover the deficit in the sum set by the UN of 140 million dollars, 40 million dollars of which was provided.