Wheat from war-torn Ukraine to feed families affected by conflict in Sudan
More than 7,000 tonnes of wheat donated by war-ravaged Ukraine will help to feed one million conflict-affected people in Sudan for a month, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday.
The in-kind donation – part of the ‘Grain from Ukraine’ humanitarian initiative launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – arrived in the coastal city of Port Sudan and was loaded onto WFP trucks for emergency food distribution.
The UN agency is working around the clock to urgently deliver critical food assistance to families who are struggling with skyrocketing food insecurity as fighting between rivalry military forces in Sudan enters a 10th month.
'We need to act now'
“The humanitarian situation in Sudan is catastrophic, but we need to act now to stop it from spiralling further out of control,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP’s Country Director in Sudan.
Staff are “working at pace to get food assistance into the hands of families that need it as quickly as possible", he added.
The 7,600 tonnes of wheat flour will be provided to families, many of whom have fled their homes due to the fighting and are struggling every day to meet their food needs.
Critical time as fighting spreads
The shipment was made possible by the German Federal Foreign Office, which covered the entire €15 million operating costs, including the transportation of the wheat from Ukraine to Sudan and the implementation and distribution within the country.
It has arrived at a critical time as fighting continues to spread ahead of the lean season in May, when food typically becomes scarcer and hunger rises.
“This donation will enable WFP to support people whose lives have been completely upended by the war,” said Mr. Rowe, expressing gratitude to Ukraine and Germany for supporting the Sudanese people in their greatest hour of need.
Steadfast support
Germany is WFP’s second largest donor and has been a steadfast supporter of its lifesaving work in Sudan, the agency said.
Last year, the German Government provided nearly €30 million to WFP operations in Sudan, ensuring vital food assistance reaches people trapped by conflict.
WFP has been warning of a looming hunger catastrophe in the country as the lean season approaches. Currently, nearly 18 million people face acute food insecurity, of which nearly five million are in emergency levels of hunger.
The UN agency has already provided emergency food and nutrition support to around seven million people since the conflict began last April, yet needs continue to grow.