The Sudanese government on Saturday dispatched 12 million Sudanese pounds (2 million USD) worth of food aid and non-food items by river to help the needy people in South Sudan.
The aid delivery came barley one week after the Khartoum government threatened to close the border with South Sudan and stop humanitarian assistance over rebel support.
While seeing off the donation in White Nile State, Mashair Al-Dawalub, Sudan’s Social Welfare Minister said that this would be the first shipment of continuous assistance Khartoum plans to send to neighbouring South Sudan.
She pointed out that the shipment which is 2500 tones consists of 27,000 bags of sorghum, shelter and other items which meet the needs of about 400,000 families.
The Sudanese official further said the shipment was a donation from the presidency to strengthen and enhance relations with South Sudan.
According to humanitarian organizations, nearly 6 million South Sudanese are in need of aid assistance, with a quarter of a million children facing severe and acute malnutrition.
File photo: Omar al-Bashir and Salva Kiir