U.S. provides $35m aid for Sudan’s displaced and refugees
May 6, 2016 (PORT SUDAN) – United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided 47,500 metric tons of sorghum, valued at approximately US$ 37 million, as in-kind food contribution ,in support to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) operations in Sudan.
The food donation will be used in covering the nutritional needs of 200,000 South Sudanese refugees in several states across Sudan and around one million displaced people in Darfur.
Last April, several United Nations agencies warned that shortage of funding is hampering aid workers’ ability to assist over 221,000 South Sudanese refugees in Sudan. UN estimated the funding gap in resources to meet the needs of South Sudanese refugees in 2016 at 82 percent.
On Thursday, the United States Embassy Charge d’Affaires a.i. Benjamin Moeling and WFP Sudan Representative and Country Director Adnan Khan visited Port Sudan in Red Sea state to welcome the arrival of the ship. They also saw firsthand WFP’s logistics operations including the unloading and bagging of sorghum at the port.
“The Obama Administration, working with WFP, is committed to ensuring that fewer people in Sudan go to bed hungry. We cannot and will not ignore the pressing and immediate needs of people who are affected by conflict or drought who continue to face severe food insecurity and malnutrition. We remain committed to helping vulnerable people in Sudan and urge all parties to end the conflicts,” said Charge d’Affaires a.i. Moeling.
Moeling further said that the donation is form the U.S. people to Sudanese people who are affected by the conflict in Darfur and other areas and to South Sudanese refugees in Sudan.
“The in-kind food donation is part of USAID support to Sudan in 2016, which stands at $ 300 million. US will continue supporting the victims of conflict in Sudan, “ he further said.
Regarding the Sudanese, American relations, Moeling said that the relation is good but the U.S. sanctions imposed on Sudan will only be lifted after achieving peace, solving crisis and respecting freedoms.
The U.S. ship “Liberty” docked in Port Sudan on Wednesday after sailing form United State 25 days ago.
On his part, WFP Sudan Representative and Country Director Adnan Khan, welcomed the American donation to the Sudanese and South Sudanese victims of war and drought.
“This generous contribution from the Government of the United States and its people demonstrates our strong relations and common goal of serving vulnerable people in Sudan. It also comes at a time when we are looking for additional resources to meet the needs created by new displacements in Darfur and the influx of South Sudanese refugees.” Khan said.
The world’s largest humanitarian agency, WFP, needs $ 750 million for its operations in Sudan, of which United States covers around 50 percent.
However Khan said that despite the USAID generous donation, funding is still challenging to implement a two-year plan up to mid-2017.
From 2010 to 2015, USAID contributed more than US$1.4 billion to WFP operations in Sudan to cover the need of war affected civilians in Blue Nile, Darfur, South Kordofan and since two years te South Sudanese refugees.
(ST)