Khartoum, May 9(Darfur24) The United Nations welcomed the initiative put forward by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America to hold direct talks between representatives of the two parties to the Sudanese conflict in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said that the UN – as part of the tripartite mechanism – is working closely with Riyadh and Washington on the situation in Sudan.
The tripartite mechanism includes the United Nations, the African Union and the International Authority on Development (IGAD).
Meanwhile, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, is holding discussions in Saudi Arabia to ensure that humanitarian aid is transported into Sudan and distributed safely throughout Sudan.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Volker Peretz, remains in Port Sudan – accompanied by a number of UN staff – to carry out many vital tasks, according to Mr. Farhan Haq.
On the humanitarian front, the United Nations and its partners continue to expand humanitarian operations in Sudan as part of efforts to move supplies to respond to rapidly growing needs across the country, according to UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq at the daily briefing.
In Blue Nile state, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners support health and nutrition programmes, including immunization, screening and treatment for malnutrition, as well as pregnancy care and reproductive health services.
In North Darfur, humanitarian partners are supporting health facilities with medicines, water and other items. Twenty health care facilities received water, sanitation and hygiene support, with at least 100,000 liters of water trucked in.
On May 5, the World Health Organization delivered 30 tons of medical supplies to the city of Port Sudan, in partnership with the United Arab Emirates. The shipment contained enough trauma treatments, essential medicines and emergency surgical items to reach 165,000 people through 13 major health facilities.
Noting that more humanitarian shipments are expected to reach Sudan in the coming days and weeks, Mr. Farhan Haq called for expedited customs clearance to ensure that life-saving aid reaches those in need as quickly as possible.
This is the first air delivery by the World Health Organization to Sudan since the outbreak of the conflict, according to the deputy UN spokesperson.
The World Food Program resumed operations in Sudan last week, aiming to meet the needs of 384,000 refugees already in Sudan, host communities and internally displaced persons – both formerly and newly displaced – in Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala and White Nile states.
This is the first time that the World Food Program has provided emergency food aid in Gezira State, to which dozens of families have left Khartoum, fleeing the conflict in the capital.