Rome, October 29 (Darfur24)
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday that Sudanese authorities have not provided any explanation for their decision to expel two of the organization’s senior staff members from Sudan.
In a statement, the WFP explained that the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had informed the agency that both the Country Director and Emergency Coordinator of the WFP in Sudan had been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.
The WFP said that it, along with senior UN officials, is in contact with the Sudanese authorities to protest the decision and seek clarification, urging all parties to prioritize the lives and safety of millions who rely on emergency food and nutrition assistance to survive.
“The expulsion decision comes at a pivotal moment,” the statement said. “Humanitarian needs in Sudan are now greater than ever, with more than 24 million people facing acute food insecurity and some communities experiencing famine.”
The agency added that, in recent months, it and its humanitarian partners had made hard-won progress, reaching over four million people per month with life-saving assistance amid one of the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian crises.
“At a time when the WFP and its partners need to expand their support, this decision will force the organization to make unplanned leadership changes, jeopardizing operations that support millions of vulnerable Sudanese facing severe hunger, malnutrition, and the risk of starvation,” the statement continued.
The WFP reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Sudanese people, vowing to continue delivering vital assistance despite the unprecedented levels of hunger, insecurity, and humanitarian need in the country.