Juba and Khartoum Approve Plan to Open Humanitarian Corridor : UN

[sudan]

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan said that representatives from the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan have approved an operational plan that will open a humanitarian corridor between the two countries.

The plan, which was developed and prepared by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), will enable the latter to deliver close to 63,000 metric tonnes of life-saving food assistance to 744,000 people in the northern parts of South Sudan who have been affected by the conflict in South Sudan since December 2013.

Following a meeting with the then head of UN Mission in South Sudan, Hilde Johnson last June, Sudan’s first vice-president Bakri Hassan Saleh agreed to facilitate the transportation of humanitarian assistance to South Sudan.

Last month, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to allow the expedition of aid across its border and river transport to feed thousands of affected civilians.

Johnson said that the UN relies heavily on Sudan to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of South Sudan, besides contributing to resolving the ongoing conflict in the newborn state. She also praised Sudanese government role in the IGAD led mediation between warring parties in South Sudan, saying it can play a significant role in the search for a solution to South Sudan’s crisis.

The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has deteriorated drastically as result of the violence that erupted in the country since 15 December 2013.

UN agencies estimate that, over 1, 3 million people have been affected by the conflict and are in need of assistance.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Khartoum, Ali Al-Za’tari, in statement on Tuesday said the approval of the operational plan puts the UN in a better position to respond to the growing humanitarian needs of the conflict-affected and vulnerable people in South Sudan, particularly those in the states of Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile, which share a border with Sudan.

He added that cooperation between the two governments leads to better serves interests of the two people.

According to a recent report issued by the WFP on the regional impact of South Sudan crisis, more than 86,000 South Sudanese have arrived in Sudan since mid-December.

The WFP report noted that relocation of South Sudanese refugees to the three sites in White Nile state is complete, warning these sites may not be sufficient if the situation deteriorates further and the influx continues.

It added that Sudanese authorities are in the process of identifying two additional sites to resettle new arrivals, projecting that 165,000 new refugees from South Sudan will have arrived by the end of 2014.

Sudanese government reports also mention that some 22,700 people are in Khartoum state. The newcomers join their relatives who stay in open areas in the Sudanese capital, as well other areas on the city outskirts.

 

[waltky]

Gettin' out while the gettin's good...

US worries humanitarian mission a Russian ‘ruse’
Sun, Jul 31, 2016 - The US is trying to determine whether a Russian plan for a humanitarian operation in Syria is sincere, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday, adding that if it proves a “ruse” it could ruin cooperation between Moscow and Washington.

The 250,000 civilians trapped for weeks inside the besieged rebel-held sector of Aleppo, Syria, have so far stayed away from “safe corridors” that Moscow and Damascus promised for those trying to escape the most important opposition stronghold in the country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government and its Russian allies declared a joint humanitarian operation for the besieged area on Thursday, bombarding it with leaflets telling fighters to surrender and civilians to leave. US officials have suggested that the plan might be an attempt to depopulate the city so that the Syrian army can seize it.

Syrian opposition groups called it a euphemism for forced displacement of the city’s inhabitants, which it said would be a war crime. Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city before the war, has been divided since 2012 into government and rebel sectors. Retaking it would be the biggest victory for al-Assad in five years of fighting and would demonstrate the dramatic shift of fortunes in his favor since Moscow joined the war on his side last year. This would also be an embarrassment for Kerry, who has led a diplomatic initiative with Moscow aiming to let the Cold War superpower foes cooperate against extremist militants and restore a ceasefire for the wider civil war, which collapsed in May.

Asked about the Russian operation, Kerry said Washington was still unsure of Moscow’s intent: “It has the risk, if it is a ruse, of completely breaking apart the level of cooperation.” “On the other hand, if we’re able to work it out today and have a complete understanding of what is happening and then agreement on the way forward, it could actually open up some possibilities,” he said, adding that he had spoken with Moscow twice in the past 24 hours to try to clarify Russian intentions.

The White House also voiced its doubts. “Given their record on this, we’re skeptical, to say the least,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said at a news briefing.

US worries humanitarian mission a Russian ‘ruse’ - Taipei Times

See also:

Scores of families leave besieged Aleppo under Russia-Damascus plan
Sat Jul 30, 2016 - More than 150 civilians, mostly women and children, left besieged eastern parts of Aleppo through a safety zone that Moscow and its Syrian ally say they have set up to evacuate people trapped in opposition-held areas.

Syrian state television on Saturday showed scores of mostly women gathered in a government-controlled area of the city, saying how conditions in rebel-held areas were difficult and chanting praise for Syrian President Bashar al Assad. Russia's defence ministry said that 169 civilians had left since Thursday through three safety crossings. The ministry also said in a statement that 69 rebels had handed themselves in to the army. Syrian state news agency SANA said 169 civilians, mostly women over the age of forty, had arrived at the Salah al Din checkpoint. There was no footage of people at the actual crossing and it was difficult to verify the information independently.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and its Russian allies declared a joint humanitarian operation for the besieged area on Thursday, bombarding it with leaflets telling fighters to surrender and civilians to leave. But the United Nations has raised misgivings about the plan and U.S. officials have suggested it may be an attempt to depopulate the city - the most important opposition stronghold in the country - so that the army can seize it. The Syrian opposition has called it a euphemism for forced displacement of the inhabitants, which it said would be a war crime.

A view shows what is believed to be the road that civilians would have to use to access one of the safe exit points opened for civilians wishing to leave rebel-held areas, in Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr, Syria​

The 250,000 civilians trapped for weeks inside the besieged rebel-held sector of Aleppo have by and large stayed away so far from the "safe corridors" that Moscow and Damascus are offering to those who want to escape. With rebel-held areas running out of food and medicine after the only supply route into the city was cut by the army after months of heavy Russian and Syrian aerial bombing, many vulnerable civilians are desperate to leave, while being suspicious of the plan. The Russian defence ministry said Syrian authorities had prepared six humanitarian aid centres capable of accommodating more than 3,000 people.

Residents in these areas who were contacted said many were hesitant to enter into government-held areas for fear of arrest by government forces with no presence of any U.N. body or NGO's to oversee the evacuation. They also said the journey to the frontline where the crossings were located was fraught with danger with snipers from both sides at times shooting at civilians. Aleppo, Syria's biggest city before the war, has been divided since 2012 into government and rebel sectors. Seizing control would be the biggest victory for Assad in five years of fighting, and demonstrate the dramatic shift of fortunes in his favour since Moscow joined the war on his side last year.

Scores of families leave besieged Aleppo under Russia-Damascus plan