Sudan sends 20 trucks of humanitarian aid to South Sudan

December 22, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The government of White Nile State said it has dispatched a caravan including 20 trucks carrying humanitarian assistance to the affected population in South Sudan. The s......

December 22, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The government of White Nile State said it has dispatched a caravan including 20 trucks carrying humanitarian assistance to the affected population in South Sudan.

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) quoted the humanitarian aid commissioner in White Nile Abdel-Gawi Hamid as saying the trucks have carried edible oils, legumes and sorghum, pointing the caravan has been dispatched from Kosti and Rabak to the Upper Nile State in South Sudan.

He added the country director of the World Food Programme (WFP) has pledged to provide further foodstuff including Lentils, sugar and grains.

In July 2014, Juba and Khartoum signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to open a humanitarian corridor to deliver food assistance to vulnerable South Sudanese through the River Nile or by road. Last January, the agreement was extended for a six month period.

The cross-border operation allows the WFP to reduce the costly airlift or airdrop operations in a time where the international agency faces serious financial challenges.

On 30 June 2017, WFP began providing food assistance to South Sudan using a new corridor to transport food items overland from El Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu in South Sudan’s Unity state.

Sudan has so far opened four aid corridors to deliver food assistance to South Sudan.

South Sudan became the world’s newest nation after declaring independence from Sudan in 2011.

However, in 2013 the country was plunged into civil war killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions.

(ST)