The Humanitarian Coordinator a.i in Sudan, Axel Bisschop, visited West Darfur State on 17 and 18 February where he met with some of the 170,000 people affected by displacement in January. He also engaged with community leaders, the Governor of West Darfur and relief organisations.
The United Nations and partners have provided over 70,000 displaced people in Ag Geneina with one-month food rations, water and sanitation services. The ongoing response for the people in Ag Geneina and surrounding villages focuses primarily on food, health, sanitation and protection services as well as shelter and non-food items. Humanitarian assessments have been completed in surrounding villages inhabited by displaced and nomadic communities, and planning is underway to deliver assistance this week.
The people displaced in and around Ag Geneina are temporarily using public buildings, including 32 schools, which has disrupted learning for 58,000 school children. An urgent solution is needed to decongest the sites, which are overcrowded and lack adequate sanitation, and space to build additional sanitation facilities and other humanitarian service facilities. Lack of privacy and security in such sites is placing women and children at risk. “Returning home or back to IDP camps will be a tremendous challenge as the displaced people do not feel safe. Security must be provided, damaged shelter must be repaired, basic services need to be restored and solutions found to enable a return to normality,” said Mr. Bisschop.
The operational plan for West Darfur is part of Sudan’s US$1.9 billion Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) to provide assistance to 8.9 million vulnerable people. It will cater for the needs of communities outside Ag Geneina and the people sheltering in the 84 gathering points in town.
The Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. urged donors to provide early and flexible disbursement contributions for the 2021 HRP. “This will allow us to sustain humanitarian operations and provide urgent response to people affected by crises,” Mr. Bisschop said.
The UN Secretary-General has appealed in January to the Sudanese authorities to expend all efforts to restore law and order and assume full responsibility for the protection of civilians following the Government’s national plan for protecting civilians.
Source: OCHA, UN RC/HC Sudan
