WFP expands aid operations in Sudan
A WFP staff member speaks to mothers at the health centre in the Philippe neighbourhood in Port Sudan (Photo: © WFP/Abubakar Garelnabei)
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that it is ramping up its aid distribution efforts in Sudan, focusing particularly on the region of Darfur. As part of these efforts, the WFP is considering expanding its self-registration initiative, which was successfully piloted in Khartoum.
Speaking to Radio Dabanga on Sunday, WFP Communications Officer Mohamed Gamal, highlighted the ongoing distribution of food aid across various areas of Darfur. He noted that the aid has been delivered through multiple channels, including the El Tina border crossing connecting Chad and North Darfur, and truck convoys from Port Sudan. Gamal reported that eight trucks, carrying 194 metric tons of food, enough to support 16,000 people, recently crossed through the Adré border crossing into West Darfur.
The WFP has welcomed the Sudanese government’s decision to open the Adré border crossing between Chad and Sudan, which has facilitated the movement of essential supplies. Gamal explained that the WFP is now exploring the expansion of its self-registration programme, initially launched in Khartoum last July, to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most.
This programme, which allows families to register themselves for aid, could be applied in other states as part of the WFP’s broader aid distribution strategy. The WFP continues to provide food directly to those in need and supports charity kitchens in Khartoum.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke by phone with the chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council and commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, on Saturday.
According to a statement from the Secretary-General’s office, the two leaders discussed the movement of humanitarian aid through the Adré border crossing and agreed to facilitate the delivery of supplies into Sudan.
Reports also state that they agreed on the need to develop a streamlined system for the rapid processing and distribution of humanitarian aid, working in close coordination with Sudanese authorities.
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