The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday signed two agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a total value of US$1.4 million to treat and prevent malnutrition across Sudan and South Sudan.
According to a WFP statement, the funding will help more than 35,000 children and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers impacted by conflict, economic shocks, and climate events. This includes almost 29,000 in Sudan who have been caught up in the war and almost 6,000 in South Sudan who are impacted by an ongoing humanitarian crisis driven by conflict and economic and climate crises.
“This funding comes at a critical time, it’s been one year since the conflict in Sudan began and has since spiraled into what may soon be the world’s largest hunger crisis,” said Michael Dunford, WFP Regional Director for the East Africa region. “With extreme hunger comes malnutrition and we have already started to receive reports of children in Sudan dying of starvation. Support for our nutrition programs is critical to prevent these deaths as well as the long-term impacts of childhood malnutrition.”
The agreements were signed by WFP’s Executive Director, Cindy McCain, and the Royal Court Advisor and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, in Paris where a pledging conference for the Sudan crisis is underway.
“We are committed to supporting vulnerable population groups in Sudan and South Sudan, and to fostering a healthier and more resilient future for all communities. Today’s event allows us to highlight the signing of two projects with the WFP for a total cost of USD 1.4 million to provide emergency nutritional aid for children and pregnant and lactating women,” said Dr. Abdullah Al Moallem, Director of KSrelief’s Health and Environmental Aid Department. “These programs will enable those in need to access vital food and medical assistance and will help us to fight famine and malnutrition in both countries,”
According to WFP, In Sudan, 4.9 million children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished – a 22 percent increase from the previous year. Of this, 730,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In South Sudan, 1.6 million children and 870,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to be malnourished this year.
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