Sudan, S. Sudan extend cross-border humanitarian operation

August 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) on Wednesday said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver food assistance to South Sudan has been extended for another six months.

In July 2014, Juba and Khartoum signed a MoU to open a humanitarian corridor to deliver food assistance to vulnerable South Sudanese through the River Nile or by road. Last January, the agreement was extended for a six month period.

The cross-border operation allows the World Foord Programmes (WFP) to reduce the costly airlift or airdrop operations in a time where the international agency faces serious financial challenges.

HAC Commissioner, Ahmed Mohamed Adam, said they are planning to transfer 65,000 metric tons of food to enhance the humanitarian situation in South Sudan.

The WFP seeks to transfer 30,000 metric tons of life-saving assistance to South Sudan in 2018 to feed some 1,7 million people for 10 months.

On 30 June 2017, WFP began providing food assistance to South Sudan using a new corridor to transport food items overland from El Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu in South Sudan’s Unity state.

Sudan has so far opened four aid corridors to deliver food assistance to South Sudan.

South Sudan became the world’s newest nation after declaring independence from Sudan in 2011.

However, in 2013 the country was plunged into civil war killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions.

(ST)