President al-Bashir, UN official discuss humanitarian challenges in Sudan

February 16, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Thursday discussed with the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Marta Ruedas the challenges facing humanitarian activities in the country.

Since several months the government has allowed humanitarian access in the whole Darfur region. Also, recently a series of meetings were held between the UN agencies, aid groups and local officials in the Two Areas to assess the humanitarian needs of IDPs and war-affected civilians.

In a statement issued following the meeting, Ruedas said she briefed President Al-Bashir about the ongoing work of the UN, the support of national and international partners and challenges facing their activities in Sudan.

President al-Bashir stated that “he looks with great interest on the progress gained from the ongoing collaboration between the United Nations and the Government of Sudan,” said the statement.

The UN humanitarian official who met President al-Bashir for the second time since last June 2016 alluded that he vowed to support the activities undertaken on the ground.

The President emphasized that “further efforts are required by both the government and the United Nations to ensure that joint work is undertaken by both parties with full trust, collaboration and intention to optimize all opportunities particularly in accelerating the country’s path to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

Her meeting with al-Bashir took place twenty-four hours after a meeting with the Presidential Assistant and head of the government negotiating team with the SPLM-N over the six-year conflict in the Two Areas.

“The meeting discussed the role that could be played by the UN to deliver the humanitarian assistance to the Two Areas,” said Ruedas after the meeting with Hamid on Wednesday.

The humanitarian official is expected to fly soon to New York to discuss ways to start a significant humanitarian operation in the government-controlled areas in the Two Areas.

In line with an agreement reached with the American administration on the partial removal of sanctions, Khartoum agreed to facilitate the humanitarian access in the war affected areas in Darfur region, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

(ST)