The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today that programmes to combat the fallout from floods, disease outbreak, and displacement in Sudan are only 36 per cent funded.
OCHA reports that since the beginning of the year, torrential rains and flash floods have affected about 348,720 people across Sudan, with 146 people dead and more than 122 people injured since the beginning of the rainy season in June.
The Federal Ministry of Health says that as of 29 September, there were 147 suspected cases of monkeypox in 12 states. The National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed 17 cases, including the death of a 27-day-old baby in West Darfur.
More than 211,100 people were newly displaced as a result of localised conflict and insecurity in parts of Darfur and Kordofan regions, as well as Blue Nile state since the beginning of 2022. So far, 546 people have been killed and another 846 injured as a result of localised conflict, according to OCHA.
A statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Khardiata Lo N’Diaye, today indicated deep concern over the relocation of displaced people, who fled intercommunal violence in El Roseires, Ed Damazin, and other parts of Blue Nile State earlier this year.
At the time, Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces and leader of the military junta, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, stated that the “region's security committee should take the necessary legal measures against those who stir up sedition and incitement to acts of violence”.
In her statement, the Humanitarian Coordinator said: “It is the country’s obligation to prevent displacement, protect and assist the displaced people and identify durable solutions for them… While I commend the attempts by the state authorities to secure a relocation site in Khor Ajwal, it is essential that relocation to such sites is voluntary and that humanitarian partners can assess the suitability and safety of such sites in advance.”
There is a significant risk of overcrowding of camps in Kosti and Rabak in While Nile state, and many essential services are yet to be installed at the sites. Over 19,000 people have settled in White Nile State this year. The statement called on the Sudan’s authorities to continue to enable unrestricted access to humanitarian organisations, including UN agencies, and international and national NGOs.
As of 30 September, the 2022 UN Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan has received USD686.8 million, which is 36 per cent of the funding needed to sustain all activities in Sudan. Most funding is currently going towards reactive issues, such as food security and livelihoods, refugee response, health, nutrition, and general protection.
“I urge the state authorities to treat the displaced individuals according to humanitarian norms, standards, and principles. I urge all stakeholders to continue to address the root causes of such conflicts and create conditions that would allow this population to voluntarily return to their homes with dignity and assured of their long-term safety,” concluded N’Diaye in her statement.
According to a UNHCR statement on September 23, “limited support could leave many refugees and local communities without vital assistance, leaving them more prone to taking risks that could result in serious harm.”
Thousands of people fled fierce fighting near El Roseires and Ed Damazin in Blue Nile state in July (social media)
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