October 20, 2015
Media Note
Khartoum, Sudan – During an October 18-October 20 UN/OCHA multi-donors’ Mission to Sudan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Catherine Wiesner and USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Bob Leavitt – together with the international donor delegation – met with Sudanese government officials, representatives of international and local non-governmental organizations, UN humanitarian actors, and civil society representatives in Khartoum and Damazeine. The purpose of the Donors’ mission was to identify ways to enhance the partnership between the Government of Sudan, the UN, donors and other humanitarian actors in order to ensure that desperately needed humanitarian assistance reaches vulnerable populations within Sudan by the most effective means possible. The United States is the largest single donor to Sudan, contributing more than $275 million in humanitarian assistance over the past year in addition to providing $9.2 million in developmental assistance. The visit included constructive discussions with government leaders, civil society representatives, and humanitarian organizations on ways to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Sudan’s conflict areas. In Damazeine, the delegation visited an internally displaced persons (IDP) settlement, observing the dire situation of thousands of IDPs who have fled conflict in surrounding regions and discussed with statelevel representatives the possibility of facilitating greater access for international humanitarian actors to these displaced communities. The delegation expressed its continued interest in supporting humanitarian work in Sudan and welcomed the Government’s commitment to partnering with the international community to ensure this needed assistance reaches Sudan’s vulnerable populations. Commitment to a cessation of hostilities would open the door for desperately needed humanitarian assistance. We call on all parties to immediately facilitate unfettered humanitarian access to allow delivery of life-saving assistance to conflict-affected populations.
