UN lauds humanitarian corridors from Sudan to South Sudan

Mar 29, 2017: The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Marta Ruedas has lauded the decision by the government of Sudan to open a new humanitarian corridor for food aid to be delivered by the World Food Program (WFP) to a town in South Sudan.

The new humanitarian corridor will enable the UN food agency to deliver the food aid from El Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu, a town in Unity State, South Sudan, where 100,000 people are enduring famine amid a deepening humanitarian crisis, deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq said at a daily news briefing.

This week, WFP is likely to move an initial delivery of 11,000 metric tonnes of sorghum in seven convoys of 30 to 40 trucks, which is enough to feed 300,000 people for three months, Haq added.

The decision to open the new humanitarian corridor, taken by the Sudanese government comes at a time when international efforts are growing to ease the impact of a famine in South Sudan.

Across South Sudan, at least 7.5 million people, almost two thirds of the population, need humanitarian assistance, WFP said.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, said earlier that about five million people are at risk of famine, which has hit two areas in Unity State and is spreading to Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

The famine was attributed to many reasons including the civil war and collapse of the economy in the country.

Picture credit: Flickr