United Kingdom supports WFP in Sudan with £17.5 million

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed three generous contributions totalling £17.5 million (approximately $26.5 million) from UK aid to support WFP operations in Sudan.

The three contributions will help WFP assist South Sudanese people who have fled to Sudan, WFP’s cash and food vouchers programme in Darfur and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (Unhas), the African Press Organisation (APO) reported today on behalf of the World Food Programme (WFP).

The Head of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in Sudan, Chris Pycroft, said: “Humanitarian needs in Sudan are great, yet there are significant shortfalls in funding to address these needs. This additional UK contribution will enable WFP to continue to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance effectively in ways that help the most vulnerable people.”

UK funding for the cash and food vouchers programme will enable WFP to continue its support to nearly 640,000 people in Darfur through this innovative assistance. Vouchers give people the opportunity to buy food items of their choice at participating local retailers. It also allows them to buy fresh produce which is not included in traditional food assistance – diversifying their diets and at the same time boosting the local economy by engaging small-scale traders.

“This additional UK contribution will enable WFP to continue to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance effectively in ways that help the most vulnerable people.”

The UK aid contribution will also bolster WFP’s response to South Sudanese people who have fled to Sudan for safety. To date, WFP has distributed emergency food assistance to nearly 140,000 South Sudanese who have sought refuge in Sudan since conflict erupted in their country in December 2013.

A further contribution will allow WFP to continue to operate Unhas, the vital air service that provides the humanitarian community with crucial transport around the country. Unhas is managed by WFP and provides passenger and light cargo services to all humanitarian staff in Sudan.  On average, UNHAS transports 3,500 passengers and 20 metric tons of cargo per month to over 40 locations in the country.

“These generous contributions from the British people ensure that WFP can continue to provide essential assistance to people in need, including: those who have fled their homes to seek safety, families living in war-torn Darfur in desperate need of help, as well as helping us maintain Unhas, which is vital to carry out humanitarian operations across Sudan,” said WFP Sudan Country Director Adnan Khan.

In July 2015, WFP launched a new two-year plan in Sudan to provide 5.2 million people by mid-2017 with life-saving food assistance, nutrition support as well as recovery and resilience-building activities to help communities become self-reliant. Included in this group are 1.8 million displaced people in Darfur.

Sudan remains one of WFP's largest and most complex operations.