Dehai News

HIGHLIGHTS

• The visiting top UN humanitarian official Mark Lowcock urged the international community to step up support to the humanitarian response to 7.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan.

• Nation-wide fuel shortages that started in March continue to impact humanitarian operations in Sudan.

• Sudan’s Ministry of Health confirmed 745 cases of measles as of 4 May 2018.

• Staple food prices increased in April – FPMA Bulletin.

Humanitarian chief calls for aid to 7.1 million

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, urged international partners to step up support to the humanitarian response to 7.1 million of Sudan’s most vulnerable people, and invest in the country’s social-economic development. The appeal was made during a recent visit to the country between 12 and 14 May, where Lowcock, who is also United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, met with government officials and humanitarian partners.

Lowcock stressed the complexity of Sudan’s humanitarian scenario: “Millions of people face serious and growing humanitarian needs. Many have suffered for the past 15 years, but we cannot let them slide back into a situation where they become completely dependent on humanitarian assistance,” said Lowcock, urging the donor community to support Sudan’s immediate, life-saving needs. He underlined the need to scale up longerterm development assistance to boost Sudan’s resilience, moving beyond recurrent cycles of emergency assistance.

During his two-day stay in the country, Lowcock also visited settlements for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Murta and Kulba in South Kordofan, and verified in person the challenges to critical assistance delivery in an environment of tenuous peace.
Welcoming the Government of Sudan’s efforts to improve humanitarian access to most locations in Sudan, Lowcock stressed the need for unfettered humanitarian access including those controlled by non-state armed groups.

While unilateral ceasefires have improved the security situation across Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, skirmishes in recent weeks between armed groups in pockets of Darfur’s Jebel Marra region have caused a renewed wave of internal displacement.

“It is critical to strengthen social protection mechanisms for the most vulnerable, including returnees,
IDPs and host communities,” said Lowcock. He expressed particular concern for women and children, and the need to protect them from sexual violence.

Lowcock also commended the generosity of the Government of Sudan and its people in hosting some 1.2 million refugees this year, including some 760,000 from South Sudan. He urged the donor community to provide more support to Sudan to help meet these costs.

Sudan’s humanitarian situation has become increasingly complex, since a recent food price increase has left millions of people unable to afford the price of the basic food basket. In addition, recent fuel shortages have affected the delivery of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities.

The United Nations-coordinated Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2018 now appeals for US$1.4 billion. So far this year, donors have provided about $232 million, most towards food aid.

Key facts and figures on the current situation in Sudan

• Of at least 2 million IDPs, many have lived in camps for more than 12 years.
• At least 5.5 million people face food insecurity; and 2.8 million children and pregnant or breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished.
• $1.4 billion is urgently needed to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need, and to help people rebuild their lives.
• In 2018, Sudan is projected to host 1.2 million refugees, including over 770,000 refugees from South Sudan.
• There are some 300,000 refugees from Sudan living in refugee camps in Chad.
  Voluntary repatriation started in March, and 20,000 refugees are anticipated to return to their places of origin in Darfur in 2018.
• During the past year, access has opened to people in need in new areas in Darfur’s Jebel Marra in Central Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, for the first time in several years, requiring scaled up assistance....................