A World Food Programme (WFP) truck carrying sorghum, beans, oil and rice for 13,000 people at risk of famine crossed the border in Kereneik, West Darfur, on Tuesday evening local time.
WFP reported that it has prepared food and nutrition supplies for about 500,000 people to enable them to move quickly through the newly reopened routes.
“The reopening of the Adre border is critical to efforts to prevent famine from spreading across Sudan, and it must now be used,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.
A race to avoid starvation
“I would like to thank all parties involved for taking this important step to help WFP provide life-saving assistance to millions of people in desperate need.”
She said agencies must urgently provide food assistance to every corner of Sudan through humanitarian corridors and border crossings. “This is the only way to avoid widespread starvation.”
The Adre border crossing from Chad is the most effective and shortest route for delivering humanitarian assistance to Sudan (especially in the Darfur region) at the scale and speed needed to respond to the massive hunger crisis.
Since Adre was officially closed in February, WFP has only been able to operate two convoys through the Adre border crossing, one in March and one in April. Since then, the need for convoys has continued to grow as hostile forces continue to contest the devastated country.
UN expert vows to defend human rights in Afghanistan after being banned from entering the country
The UN’s independent human rights expert on Afghanistan has expressed concern over the Taliban’s apparent determination to end abuses of basic human rights in the region after the group announced it would not allow him to enter the country.
Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett said he had always engaged transparently with the de facto authorities, effectively assessing the human rights situation in the country and providing recommendations for improvement where necessary.
“As an independent expert appointed by the United Nations, I take my responsibilities very seriously,” Mr Bennett said. “I urge the Taliban to reverse their decision and reiterate their willingness and willingness to return to Afghanistan.”
Dedicate yourself to the people
The UN expert said he would continue to engage with the Afghan people, “both domestically and internationally” and other relevant stakeholders, noting that he had not traveled to Afghanistan in more than a year.
Mr Bennett also pledged to further document human rights abuses and provide suggestions for improvement.
“I am committed to supporting a stable, inclusive and prosperous nation that is at peace with the Afghan people and its neighbors,” he said.
Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Human Rights Council to serve in an individual capacity, independent of the United Nations system and national governments. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.
Migration is rampant across Myanmar
A UN spokesman warned on Wednesday that the situation in three parts of Myanmar is worsening as fighting between the military junta and opposition rebels intensifies, leading to increased forced displacement.
“Reports we are receiving indicate an escalation in hostilities in Rakhine, resulting in casualties and new displacement, particularly in Maungdaw township on the Bangladesh border,” said Stephane Dujarric.
On August 5, it was reported that about 20,000 people had been forced out of three towns in Maungdaw town, and many more are now believed to have fled across the border.
He added that fighting had escalated again in northern Shan State since late June, forcing about 33,000 people from four townships to flee their homes.
“Civilian casualties are also being reported, and our information is that homes and other buildings have also been destroyed.”
I’m short on funds
Heavy rains since late June have worsened the already dire humanitarian situation, affecting an estimated 393,000 people.
The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which aims to reach about 5.3 million people nationwide, received just 23% of its request, or $225 million.
“Despite these challenges, some 2.1 million people across Myanmar have received assistance from the United Nations and other humanitarian partners in the first half of this year, including food, health, nutrition, water and sanitation support,” Dujarric concluded.
