UN Food Agency Lifts Suspension of Sudan Programmes

Amidst the ongoing crisis, Cindy McCain, the head of the World Food Programme (WFP) said the UN food agency would lift a suspension of its aid mission in Sudan as the crisis in the country worsens amid ongoing violence.

McCain on Monday said that the agency would “immediately” lift a suspension of its programmes that it put in place following the death of three employees “as the crisis in #Sudan pushes millions into hunger.”

“WFP is rapidly resuming our programs to provide the life-saving assistance that many so desperately need right now,” McCain tweeted.

The UN agency has been warning that the ongoing fighting in Sudan could plunge the entire region of East Africa into a humanitarian crisis.

Sudan’s de facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has been fighting his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo with the help of the military since April 15. Daglo is the leader of the influential paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The two generals took over the leadership of the country of about 46 million through two military coups in 2019 and 2021.

Clashes continued over the weekend despite the calling of a 72-hour ceasefire on Thursday, with both sides accusing the other of violating the agreement.

Hundreds of people have been killed since the fighting began, including three employees of WFP, while two other staff members were injured in the same incident in Kabkabiya, North Darfur. Following their deaths on April 15, the agency paused its aid mission in Sudan.