Sudanese government keen to deliver humanitarian aid to the Two Areas:official

November 21, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Sudan’s humanitarian aid commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Adam has underscored government seriousness to deliver assistance to the affected in South Kordofan and Blue Nile as well as all other areas in need for relief.

South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile state have been the scene of violent conflict between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) and the Sudanese army since 2011.

Adam told Sudan Tribune Saturday in Addis Ababa that the number of the affected population who don’t have access to assistance in the Two Areas is not precisely known, saying it is estimated to be around 180,000 people according to the recent census.

He added that about 160,000 children in the Two Areas are in need for vaccination against polio and measles.

It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N says that 500,000 people in the Two Areas are in need for basic humanitarian assistance.

Adam said the government launched a new initiative two months ago with the participation of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Sudan’s health ministry, World Health Organization (WHO) and the World food Programme (WFP) to allow access to vaccination teams in the Two Areas to save lives of children.

He pointed however that the SPLM-N rejected the initiative and insisted that vaccination teams and equipments must enter Blue Nile from abroad particularly from Ethiopia, saying this is the point of contention between the two sides.

The commissioner added that the government launched several initiatives since 2012 including the tripartite initiative which was rejected by the SPLM-N.

“Unfortunately, the other side [SPLM-N] didn’t respond [to the initiative] and [that is why] no progress has been made since three years during which the suffering of civilians has increased,” he added

He pointed to the need for keeping the humanitarian work away from political manoeuvring, saying humanitarian problems continued to represent a major concern for his commission.

It should be mentioned that Adam is a member of the government negotiating team for the security arrangements talks between the government and the SPLM-N currently underway in Addis Ababa.

(ST)