Aid lifeline reaches Sudan’s Darfurs in bid to avert ‘hunger catastrophe’

Two aid convoys carrying lifesaving food have reached Sudan’s Darfurs for the first time in months, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday, as humanitarians try to avert a “hunger catastrophe” after nearly a year of heavy fighting.

“The UN WFP has managed to bring desperately needed food and nutrition supplies into Darfur; the first WFP assistance to reach the war-wrecked region in months,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer in Sudan.

The convoys crossed into Sudan from Chad in late March carrying enough food and nutrition supplies for 250,000 people facing acute hunger in North, West and Central Darfur.

Despite this welcome development, the UN agency spokesperson warned that unless the people of Sudan receive a constant flow of aid “via all possible humanitarian corridors from neighbouring countries and across battle lines within Sudan, the country's hunger catastrophe will only worsen”.

Securing safe and constant aid access to the Darfurs is “has been extremely challenging”, WFP’s Ms. Kinzli explained, adding that the situation has been complicated further by the decision of the head of the Sudan armed forces based in Port Sudan to stop humanitarians from reaching the Darfurs from Chad.

“Fierce fighting, lack of security and lengthy clearances by the warring parties have led to delays in the distribution of this assistance to people in need. WFP and our partners urgently need security guarantees and deconfliction so the supplies in North Darfur can be distributed to people who are struggling to find even one basic meal a day,” Ms. Kinzli insisted.

The UN agency reported on Friday that 37 trucks carrying 1,300 tons of supplies crossed last week into West Darfur from Adre in Chad - and that food distributions were underway in West and Central Darfur.

Another 16 trucks with around 580 tons of supplies entered North Darfur from Chad’s Tina border crossing on 23 March, WFP said.

Another six trucks with 260 metric tons of food reached the area from Port Sudan a few days later – the first aid delivery to be transported across conflict lines in six months. But the UN agency noted that “fierce fighting, lack of security, and lengthy clearances by the warring parties” had led to delays in the distribution of this assistance. 

“There is a lack of clarity whether we will be able to continue and regularly use the cross border from Adre into West Darfur, which is so critical because West Darfur is among the most food-insecure areas in Sudan,” Ms. Kinzli said. This is especially the case in Geneina, capital of West Darfur, she said, where over the last four to five years “it’s where we see the highest levels of hunger in the lean season”.

Sudan’s war between rival generals has driven hunger to record levels, with 18 million people facing acute hunger. In Darfur, 1.7 million people are already enduring emergency levels of hunger - IPC4 – according to global food security experts.

“If we aren't able to use that specific corridor (from Adre to West Darfur) and continue to use it and scale up via that corridor, that is what we are most concerned about, is what is going to happen to the people of West Darfur who are bearing the brunt of this conflict, who are in an unimaginable situation,” WFP’s Ms. Kinzli said.

ends

STORY: Sudan Darfur aid convoys – WFP

TRT: 02 min 00s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 5 APRIL 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST 

1. Exterior medium: UN Geneva flag alley  
2. Wide: moderator at the podium in the Press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Leni Kinzli, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Communications Officer in Sudan (from Nairobi): “The United Nations World Food Programme has managed to bring desperately needed food and nutrition supplies into Darfur; the first WFP assistance to reach the war-wrecked region in months. Yet we are extremely concerned that unless the people of Sudan receive a constant flow of aid via all possible humanitarian corridors from neighbouring countries and across battle lines within Sudan, the country's hunger catastrophe will only worsen.”
4. Medium: Press room.
5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Leni Kinzli, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Communications Officer in Sudan (from Nairobi): “Fierce fighting, lack of security and lengthy clearances by the warring parties have led to delays in the distribution of this assistance to people in need. WFP and our partners urgently need security guarantees and deconfliction so the supplies in North Darfur can be distributed to people who are struggling to find even one basic meal a day.”
6. Wide: Press room.
7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Leni Kinzli, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Communications Officer in Sudan (from Nairobi): “Now there is a lack of clarity whether we will be able to continue and regularly use the cross border from Adre into West Darfur, which is so critical because West Darfur is among the most food-insecure areas in Sudan, especially Geneina, and historically has been over the last four to five years, it’s where we see the highest levels of hunger in the lean season.”
8. Medium: Press room and interpreters’ booths.
9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Leni Kinzli, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Communications Officer in Sudan (from Nairobi): “If we aren't able to use that specific corridor and continue to use it and scale up via that corridor, that is what we are most concerned about, is what is going to happen to the people of West Darfur who are bearing the brunt of this conflict, who are in an unimaginable situation.”
10. Medium: control room shot.
11. Medium: moderator seated.
12. Medium-close: participant.