In Depth		 Home Page
MASSIVE US DONATION MAKES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE & DEATH IN SUDAN

WFP has welcomed a United States donation worth millions of dollars to help some three million drought- and war-stricken Sudanese.

June, 2001 - A huge donation from the United States totalling US$61.7 million is helping WFP to successfully contain the suffering of nearly three million drought and war victims in Sudan.

Just two months after WFP launched an international appeal warning that food stocks intended to feed 2.9 million Sudanese in 2001 (1.7 million in the south, 1.2 million in the north) were nearly exhausted, the United States dramatically increased its commitment.

The WFP Country Representative in Khartoum Masood Hyder described the donation as "a bold humanitarian gesture".

The first shipment of US food - 17,000 tons - reached Port Sudan in early June.

"On behalf of the hungry people of Sudan, we express our deepest appreciation," said Hyder, "Ths gift will make the difference between life and death for 10s of 1,000s of innocent men, women and children."

WFP had been particularly concerned about the fate of some 600,000 Sudanese whose harvests and cattle have been devasted by a third year of drought.

Recent reports had suggested the situation was worsening, with spiraling malnutrition rates and ever increasing numbers of families migrating to cities.


WFP emergency operation in Sudan is now 73% funded
The US donation means that WFP's emergency operation in Sudan is now 73 percent funded with US$79 million received against the US$107 million requested to feed three million people.

Even before this massive donation, last April the United States had diverted a vessel carrying 23,000 tons of cereals which proved vital to keeping WFP operational in Sudan.

"We'd been scraping together every grain of food we could find to tide people over, but the situation had really become desperate, with no significant food shipments in sight," added Hyder.

HUNGER GAP

The consignment helped fill the so-called 'Hunger Gap' - the term given to the dry season that follows planting when food is traditionally scarce.

WFP first warned of a looming drought crisis in Sudan late last year. The Agency had been appealing for food aid to arrive before the start of rains in mid-June threatened the viability of roads vital for deliveries in both wartorn and drought-stricken areas.

Parts of Sudan, in particular northern Dafur and northern Kordofan, are currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent years.

With dams drying up and natural food stocks dwindling, some 600,000 drought-affected Sudanese will depend on WFP food aid in 2001 to plug the 'Hunger Gap'.

"Herdsmen are queuing for up to three days in order to draw water from wells - some of which are up to 40 feet deep and running out of water," said Hyder.

WFP calculates that 7,000 tonnes of food are required per month to stop a rise in malnutrition rates that have touched 30 percent in the drought-affected region of Eastern Equatoria.

ONGOING WAR


At the same time, a further 2.3 million will rely on WFP's emergency and development projects to stave off hunger brought on by Sudan's ongoing civil war.

Fighting has forced 100s of 1,000s of people, mainly women and children, to abandon their homes in the futile search for food and safety.

With the humanitarian cease-fires that lapsed in July 2000 unlikely to be reinstated in the near future, the conflict shows no signs of stopping.

Last month, the Sudanese Peoples' Liberation Army launched an offensive in southern Sudan which led to the capture of the garrison towns of Raga and Daim Zubeir on June 2. WFP is now preparing to deliver food aid to the 20,000 IDPs who fled the fighting.


Geography of Sudan's Food Emergency
Eastern Equatoria: three-four years of drought, frequent target of bombing raids
Northern Dafur / Northern Kordofan: estimated 420,000 affected by drought
Bahr el Ghazal: plagued by insecurity but still struggling to recover from 1998 famine when WFP fed two million. Some pockets of drought
Northern Kordofan, Western Dafur, Red Sea regions: drought
Upper Nile / Unity: hotbed of civil conflict, southern Sudan's most insecure area. Of 35 useable airstrips, less than half are accessible at any one time







WFP Food Aid to Sudan:
1998-2002
(metric tonnes)
1998/1999: 116,790
1999/2000: 125,155
2000/2001: 78,103
2001/2002: 171,699 (projected)

WFP in Sudan
Other Donors to Sudan
Australia
Canada
Denmark
Finland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Netherland
Norway
Swedish
Switzerland

Previous News
April 3, 2001: Sudan Food Crisis... On the brink
March 29, 2001: Food Crisis Looms
Feb 13, 2001: Acute Hunger Set to Hit Sudan

Links
Sudan
Country Brief & Map
Photo Gallery