Humanitarian assistance reaches Darfur through Benghazi

TRIPOLI, Libya, Aug 13, 2004 (PANA) — The first shipment of humanitarian aid
comprising 440 tons of flour from Benghazi port in Libya has
started arriving in Chad for refugees who fled the fighting in
Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

At the launch of the supply route Wednesday, World Food Programme
(WFP) humanitarian aid operations director Pierre Karas expressed
gratitude to Libya for opening up the aid corridor.

Karas commended the Libyan authorities for their cooperation in
facilitating the shipment of the humanitarian aid to Sudanese
refugees holed up across the border in Chad.

He acknowledged the importance of the corridor saying it boosts
WFP’s capacity to assist victims of the conflict in Darfur,
adding that UN emergency aid to the stricken peoples in the
region would continued up to 2005.

Last 15 July, the Libyan authorities and WFP signed an agreement
on the opening of a corridor for transporting humanitarian aid to
Darfur refugees in Chad.

WFP assistant director general John Powell, who signed the
agreement said the operation targets 1.5 million persons affected
by the Darfur crisis and will involve the shipment of some
450,000 tons of food.