Australia donates $1.1m for S. Sudanese refugees in Sudan
March 8, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said the government of Australia donated $1.1 million to provide assistance to South Sudanese who have been forced into Sudan since conflict broke out in their country in 2013.
According to the press release, “WFP is currently assisting close to 70,000 South Sudanese in Sudan’s North Kordofan, South Kordofan, West Kordofan and White Nile states.”
Australia’s Chargé d’Affaires to Sudan, Brett Young, said his country is pleased to offer this contribution to assist the efforts of South Sudan’s neighbours to provide protection and support to South Sudanese populations.
“We welcome the government of Sudan’s efforts to register and document populations coming from South Sudan in order to ensure their access to humanitarian assistance.” he added.
In 2014, Australia contributed $1.8 million to WFP’s operations in Sudan, allowing the agency to buy food such as cereals and pulses which were distributed to vulnerable people in Sudan. This was the first direct Australian contribution to WFP’s operations in Sudan since 2010.
WFP Sudan country director Adnan Khan, for his part, said they are grateful to the Australian people and government for this timely contribution which will allow them provide life-saving food assistance to the South Sudanese who have sought refuge in Sudan.
“This contribution enhances our ongoing efforts to respond to their [South Sudanese refugees] needs effectively and efficiently,” he added.
Under an agreement made with the governments of Sudan and South Sudan in July 2014, WFP is moving convoys of trucks and barges carrying food through Sudan to South Sudan for distribution to those affected by the ongoing civil war across the border.
“To date, WFP Sudan has transported 2,800 metric tons of food assistance to South Sudan with a plan to move a further 21,000 metric tons within the coming three months.”, press release read.
Twenty one UN humanitarian agencies are operating in Sudan including the WFP which began its operations since 1963 besides 104 foreign aid groups which are mainly operating in conflict areas where the Sudanese army is fighting against 4 rebel groups in 8 states including South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur.
The UN estimates as many as 300,000 people have been killed and almost 3 million people have been displaced in Darfur since rebel movements took up arms against the Khartoum government in 2003.
UN reports also estimate that 1.2 million people have been affected by the conflict which erupted between the Sudanese army and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state since 2011.
According to the press release, “for the first half of 2015, WFP plans to assist 3.7 million people, 2.8 million of whom are in the conflict-affected region of Darfur and 890,000 are in central and eastern Sudan including people who fled conflict in South Sudan.”
(ST)