Sudan confirms approval of humanitarian access through three neighbouring countries

March 6, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – The Sudanese government confirmed its approval of the use of the Al-Tina crossing on the Chad-El-Fasher route for the delivery of designated humanitarian aid to the Darfur region.

In a statement released on Wednesday morning, the foreign ministry said it informed the United Nations of its approval to utilize the Al-Tina crossing on the Chad-El-Fasher route for the delivery of designated humanitarian aid.

“This decision is subject to a technical agreement with the Chadian government and should align with UN Security Council Resolution No. 1591” stressed the statement referring to the arms embargo to Darfur adopted in 2005.

The foreign ministry indicated additional access routes for humanitarian aid including, Port Sudan – Atbara – Mellit – El Fasher, the Red Sea route from Egypt to Port Sudan, Wadi Halfa-Dongola crossing and Renk – Kosti route via river and land transport from South Sudan.

Also, El Fasher, Kadugli, and El Obeid airports could be used as alternative access points in case of land route difficulties.

On Tuesday evening, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkwita Salami, stated that the Sudanese government agreed to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery via the Al-Tina border crossing into Darfur, and from South Sudan via Renk’s border crossing to Kosti. Also, humanitarian flights to El Fasher, Kadugli, and El Obeid airports will be permitted.

In a related development, USAID Spokesperson Jessica Jennings stated that Administrator Samantha Power spoke with the head of the Sovereign Council and Commander in Chief of the Sudanese Army Abdel Fattah al-Burhan about the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan.

“Administrator Power stressed the need to re-establish cross-border access from Chad, remove bureaucratic impediments, and ensure safe, sustained, and unhindered humanitarian access for aid workers to urgently deliver life-saving assistance”

The vital delivery of humanitarian aid to Darfur was abruptly halted after authorities revoked permits for WFP’s cross-border truck convoys from Chad. This lifeline had reached over one million people in West and Central Darfur since August. With hunger and malnutrition rapidly escalating in the region, WFP was scaling up its operations to meet the growing needs, but these efforts had been halted by the recent ban.

The WFP chief, Cindy McCain on Tuesday warned that “The war in Sudan risks triggering the world’s largest hunger crisis”.

McCain further underscored the urgent need for unimpeded access in Sudan to address the escalating food insecurity, which will have significant long-term impacts on the region.

The international official was in Renk in eastern South Sudan where almost 600,000 people have crossed from Sudan in the last 10 months. She visited the crowded transit camps where families arrive hungry and are met with more hunger.

(ST)