Sudan OCHA bulletin 22: About 13,000 people return to their home areas in West Darfur

Since 2015, about 13,000 displaced people returned to their areas of origin in the West Darfur’s localities of Sirba and Kulbus. According to FEWS NET, the main season harvest in Sudan will be average, with pockets of below-average harvests. The number of reported Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD/cholera) cases in the country reached more than 35,000, including 800 related deaths, since the outbreak of the epidemic in August last year. The UN has welcomed the lifting of sanctions against Sudan.

In its 22nd news bulletin of this year, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan, reports that an inter-agency mission visited the return villages of Goronei and Argod Shallal in Sirba, and Girgira in Kulbus in West Darfur from 13 to 15 August to assess humanitarian needs and identify gaps.

The mission included representatives from the government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), UN agencies, international and national NGOs, government line ministries, Unamid and national security apparatus.

The mission found that the nomads, residents, and return communities in the return areas live together peacefully as there are functioning farm and crop protection committees that mediate and resolve disputes over farm lands.

The mission recommended the improvement of clean water provision, an educational initiative to help children who have fallen out of mainstream schooling, the building of a school, a school feeding programme, and helping in the repatriation of refugees still in Chad.

Average harvests expected – FEWS NET

FEWS NET, an international agency monitoring food security conditions, expects the main season harvest in Sudan to be average with pockets of below-average harvests.

According to the FEWS NET Key Message Update for September, above normal rainfall has continued in September and supported crop development, even among crops planted late because of early season dry spells and flooding.

Areas where crop production and regeneration of pasture are likely to be below average include parts of Kassala, northern El Gedaref, North Darfur, and North Kordofan.

People in some parts of Jebel Marra and in areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) continue to require assistance as food insecurity will be at Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels through September, FEWS NET reported.

More than 35,000 AWD cases reported across Sudan

The total number of reported AWD cases across 18 states of Sudan has reached over 35,000—including 800 related deaths since August 2016—according to the latest update from WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Active transmission of AWD is ongoing in all 18 states of Sudan with the exception of West Kordofan and the Northern State, where the last reported cases were on 13 August and 12 September, respectively. The source of infection is believed to be contaminated open water sources combined with poor sanitation and hygiene practices.

The UN in Sudan welcomes the lifting of sanctions against Sudan

On 6 October, the US government announced its decision to revoke economic sanctions against Sudan.

This decision was facilitated in part through the collective efforts of all parties involved, especially the Government of Sudan who in the past nine months has demonstrated through concrete progress the country's interest in improving humanitarian access throughout the country, the OCHA bulletin reads.

The UN Country Team said in a statement on 7 October that it would continue to engage with the Government of Sudan to enable further cooperation on humanitarian and development priorities and improve stability in the country.