Global Courant 2023-04-17 14:17:53
© UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran – World Food Program (WFP) staff load sacks of yellow split peas onto a truck at a WFP warehouse in El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan.
New York, USA, April 17, 2023-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The World Food Program (WFP) has temporarily suspended all operations due to fighting between rival military groups in Sudan, which has led to the deaths of three WFP employees on Saturday. The UN Secretary-General has called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
According to a rack Attributable to UN agency executive director Cindy McCain, workers performed life-saving tasks in Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
In a separate incident on Saturday, a WFPThe UN-operated Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft was significantly damaged at Khartoum International Airport in a gunfire, with serious consequences WFPthe ability to move humanitarian workers and aid within the country.
In the statement, Ms McCain explained that all operations in Sudan have been suspended pending an assessment of the evolving security situation.
“WFP is committed to helping the Sudanese population facing severe food insecurity,” said Ms McCain, “but we cannot do our lifesaving work without ensuring the safety and security of our teams and partners. All parties must reach an agreement that ensures the safety of humanitarian workers on the ground and allows for the continued delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid to the people of Sudan. They remain our top priority.”
Any loss of life in humanitarian aid is unacceptable and I demand immediate steps to ensure the safety of those left behind.
Ms. McCain stressed that threats to WFP teams make it impossible for them to operate safely and effectively in the country and carry out the critical work of the UN agency.
‘Justice without delay’: UN Secretary-General
In response to the crisis on Sunday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for those responsible to be brought to justice without delay.
In a rack attributable to Mr Guterres, he expressed deep concern at the ongoing clashes and reminded warring parties of the need to respect international law, including the obligation to ensure the safety and security of all United Nations personnel and associated personnel, their premises and their assets.
The Secretary-General reiterated his call for an immediate halt to fighting and for dialogue to resume, stressing that he will continue to work with regional leaders and Sudanese stakeholders to find a way out of this crisis.
Aid workers ‘not a target’, looting of UN grounds must stop
The Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sudan and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission (UNITAMS), Mr. Volker Perthes convicted the attacks on Sunday, insisting that civilians and humanitarian workers are “not targets”.
Mr Perthes referred to reports of projectiles hitting UN and other humanitarian buildings, and looting of these buildings, at various locations in Darfur.
The UNITAMS chief said these acts of violence are disrupting the delivery of life-saving aid and must stop. “When incidents like this occur, it is the women, men and children in desperate need of help who suffer the most.”
Mr Perthes announced on Sunday that he had convinced the two warring sides in the current fighting to briefly suspend hostilities, on humanitarian grounds, between 4 and 7 pm local time.
Members of the Security Council call for calm
The members of the Security Council added their voice to calls for an end to hostilities on Sunday, in a statement expressing regret for the loss of life and wounded.
In the statement, they urged the parties to restore calm and engage in dialogue to resolve the current crisis in Sudan.
They further emphasized the importance of maintaining humanitarian access and ensuring the safety of UN personnel, reaffirming their “strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of the Sudan”.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of UN NEWS
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Source: African Media Agency (AMA)
