Sudan describes WFP report on famine as political
July 19, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government has dismissed a report issued by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in which it predicted that Sudan may face famine conditions due to food shortage.
Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) described the report as “political”, saying it is nothing but an attempt to get more of the donors’ funds.
Last week, the WFP warned against exacerbation of food crisis in Sudan, saying the country faces delicate conditions and major challenges to provide food for more than 4 million people suffering from food shortage across the country.
The WFP expressed concern on the acute food shortage faced by two million children in Sudan annually, saying that %54 of them suffer from growth problems and %16 suffer from issues of underweight.
It also said that %32 of the newborns are underweight and below the average natural weight of children around the world.
The WFP pointed that economic deterioration and high inflation rate have adverse impact on food security, saying they create a food gap which increases numbers of people in need for food in light of the continued influx of refugees and displaced persons due to internal security problems and problems in neighbouring countries.
The head of HAC’s emergency department, Mutasim Abu al-Gasim, said in press statement on Friday that HAC is ready to intervene to cover any food gap in the country particularly in conflict areas.
He pointed that food gaps take place in areas affected by tribal conflicts, civil wars, lack of rain, and diminishing of cultivated lands, adding that several states witnessed low-levels of rain last year which lowered agricultural production.
Abu al-Gasim said that UN reports which predicts occurrence of famine in Sudan aim to get more funds from donors, describing them as “political” and serving agendas of certain bodies.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Khartoum, last week said it was forced to amend its plan in Sudan in order to meet the growing needs during the first half of this year.
The total amount of money needed by the aid groups in Sudan is currently estimated at $982 million in order to assist 6.9 million people (around %20 of the population).
(ST)