WFP suffers acute shortfall in Sudan’s programme funding
June 7, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that the funding for its cash and voucher assistance is facing a severe shortfall with a complete break in funding anticipated from July onwards.
“In response, WFP has already halted a number of expansion plans and will likely cut rations in some locations for the month of June. If no urgent funds are mobilized however, WFP may have to further disrupt the voucher distribution cycle with more extensive ration cuts or even complete suspension of the programme,” the newsletter added.
The WFP said that almost 500,000 people, mostly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), would be at risk of receiving no voucher assistance from September onwards, requesting donors to urgently make available any additional funds to prevent closure of the programme.
VISITING ABU KARINKA
The weekly bulletin pointed that planning is underway for a rapid needs assessment mission to Abu Karinka in early June by humanitarian partners and the government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC).
OCHA, WFP, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the American Refugee Committee (ARC) and the government’s Water and Sanitation Department (WES) all plan to participate in the mission.
Abu Karinka has seen deadly clashes between Ma’alia and Rezeigat tribes last month leave hundreds dead and injured.
It also said that the international NGO United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is also planning a separate mission to assess the emergency shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene needs in Abu Karinka.
“Although HAC has agreed to the missions, both still await approval from security authorities,” it added.
According to OCHA, HAC and a committee of local community members distributed the relief items sent last week to Abu Karinka by HAC federal and national aid groups.
SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEES
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in response to the over 6,000 South Sudanese fled to Sudan between 21 and 27 May in response to the continued insecurity in Unity and Upper Nile States in South Sudan.
It said that some 4,007 refugees entered into White Nile state, another 1,838 refugees arrived in the eastern part of South Kordofan state while just fewer than 300 refugees fled to Khartoum.
“These recent arrivals bring the total number of South Sudanese refugees who have arrived in Sudan since December 2013 to 149,436 people,” it added.
According to the UNHCR, 43% of these arrivals have undergone household registration and 6% have undergone individual registration.
“This leaves 50% still unregistered, which includes all refugees in South and West Kordofan states and those residing at the Joda border crossing and in urban centres and host communities in White Nile state,” the OCHCA pointed out.
The government of Sudan identified and allocated three additional sites, with a combined capacity of approximately 14,000 people, to accommodate the influx of refugees.
Two of the sites are in El Jabalian locality and the third is in Al Salam locality, next to El Redis and Al Kashafa sites. The possible extension of Al Alagaya site is still under discussion.
(ST)