Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Hassan Hamed Hassan, received Shannon Howard, Director of the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Geneva Office, on Wednesday as part of the regular briefing meetings with the international organization.
During the meeting, the Permanent Representative reviewed the humanitarian situation and food security conditions in Sudan, as well as ways to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the WFP and move beyond limited humanitarian interventions toward supporting recovery projects and rehabilitating vital facilities, particularly in the agricultural production sector and through assistance to small-scale farmers.
Hamed briefed Howard on the serious humanitarian consequences of attacks by the terrorist militia on electricity and water stations and civilian infrastructure, as well as the resulting displacement of productive farming communities. In this regard, he pointed out that the policy of starvation is one of the militia’s weapons for forcibly displacing populations, leading to food insecurity in areas under its control.
He added that Sudan, like other countries across the belt stretching from the Horn of Africa in the east to West Africa, has been affected by the El Niño phenomenon, climate change, and declining rainfall. He stressed the importance of supporting preparations for the winter agricultural season, strengthening irrigation farming capabilities, and building national capacities to enhance food security.
The Permanent Representative warned against attempts to politicize humanitarian operations and exploit food security warnings to serve political agendas. In this context, he referred to the joint ministerial statement issued by Norway and several other countries last October.
He emphasized the importance of objectivity and accuracy in information contained in statements and reports addressing humanitarian issues. He also reaffirmed the Sudanese government’s commitment to facilitating humanitarian aid deliveries through approved border crossings and routes, stressing the need to respect the country’s sovereignty and maintain close coordination with the government at every stage of humanitarian operations.
Ambassador Hamed affirmed Sudan’s commitment to maintaining its longstanding relations of cooperation and coordination with the World Food Programme. He praised the successful visit to Sudan recently concluded by the Programme’s new Executive Director, Carl Skau?
Shannon Howard, for her part, underscored the importance of continued cooperation and coordination between the World Food Programme and the Sudanese government, given the scale of humanitarian needs and the funding challenges facing the Programme’s operations. She highlighted the importance of mobilizing international support and intensifying efforts to achieve food security and strengthen the capacity of affected communities to recover and restore their livelihoods.
