The United Nations food agency lifts the suspension of Sudanese programs

Natalie Portman
By Natalie Portman 2 Min Read
origin 1A sack of flour is in the United Nations World Food Program warehouse. The ongoing violence in Sudan could plunge the entire East African region into a humanitarian crisis, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has warned. Michael Kappeler/dpa

The head of the World Food Program (WFP) said on Monday that the UN food agency would lift the suspension of its aid mission to Sudan as the crisis in the country worsens amid ongoing violence.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain on Monday said the agency would “immediately” lift a suspension of its programs it had put in place after the deaths of three employees “as the crisis in #Sudan drives millions into hunger”.

“WFP is quickly resuming our programs to deliver the life-saving assistance many desperately need right now,” McCain tweeted.

The UN agency has warned that ongoing fighting in Sudan could plunge the entire East African region into a humanitarian crisis.

Sudan’s de facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has been fighting his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo with the help of the military since April 15. Daglo is the leader of the influential Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

The two generals assumed leadership of the country of about 46 million through two military coups in 2019 and 2021.

Clashes continued over the weekend despite calls for a 72-hour ceasefire on Thursday, with both sides accusing the other of breaching the deal.

Hundreds of people have been killed since the fighting began, including three WFP employees, while two other staff members were injured in the same incident in Kabkabiya, North Darfur.

After their deaths on April 15, the agency suspended its aid mission in Sudan.

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