New York (UNA/QNA) - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned of the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Al-Jazeera State, which is one of 17 regions in Sudan threatened by famine, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that today the World Food Programme was able to deliver its first aid shipment - in more than a year - to Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazeera State. Eleven trucks arrived carrying 11 tons of food and supplies, enough for more than 260 people.
The spokesman indicated that humanitarian partners are planning to conduct a needs assessment in the city, where residents are suffering from severe shortages of food, water and health services, in addition to severe malnutrition.
Farhan Haq stressed that immediate access to clean water is of utmost importance, as most of the city’s water stations are not functioning, forcing residents to rely on unsafe water sources, increasing health risks.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stressed the need for more resources to respond to this crisis, and the importance of protecting civilians in light of reports of shooting, restrictions on the movement of people, and gender-based violence in the area.
The armed conflict in Sudan has been ongoing since April 2023, killing thousands of people and displacing more than 10 million others, either through internal displacement or asylum abroad, according to UN reports.
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