UN Aid Reaches South Kordofan to Cover Needs of Over 100,000 People
Khartoum – Sudanhorizon
Three United Nations agencies announced on Wednesday the arrival of a humanitarian aid convoy carrying supplies sufficient to meet the needs of at least 110,000 people in the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan.
The Sudanese army ended the nearly two-year siege on Kadugli on February 3, a week after lifting a similar blockade on Dilling, through a military operation launched from eastern parts of the state via Habila, allowing supplies to reach the two cities.
In a joint statement, the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the UNICEF said they had delivered “a convoy loaded with vital humanitarian supplies to Kadugli and Dilling.”
The convoy included 15 trucks from WFP, 7 from UNICEF, and 4 from UNDP, carrying medical, food, nutrition, and health supplies, in addition to water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and basic education materials.
According to the statement, WFP trucks transported more than 700 metric tons of food commodities to support around 70,000 people, including 21,000 mothers and children, with specialized nutritious foods to prevent malnutrition.
UNICEF trucks delivered life-saving supplies for 40,000 children and their families, providing essential food assistance, WASH services, health supplies, and educational materials.
UNDP delivered 70 metric tons of supplies, including medicines sufficient for five months to treat HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, to the National Medical Supplies Fund.
The lifting of the siege has led to improvements in conditions in Kadugli, which had experienced famine that forced approximately 147,000 people—around 80% of its population—to flee, according to the United Nations. Dilling had been facing similar circumstances.
The statement noted that the isolation of Kadugli and Dilling from any aid for more than 24 months left communities suffering from severe shortages of food, medicines, and clean water.
It added that the convoy’s arrival enables UNICEF and its partners to continue delivering life-saving treatment for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and to restore access to clean water and essential healthcare services.
The agencies also reported that escalating violence and insecurity along the main road between El-Obeid, Dilling, and Kadugli forced the convoy to halt for more than forty days, delaying the humanitarian mission and exposing local communities to further health and food security risks.
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