Sudan (Hansard, 10 May 1994)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Nations or aid organisations are now visiting or operating from Dilling and Kadugli in Sudan; and what information has been gathered from their work about conditions in the Nuba mountains.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
The United Nations Children's Fund have established a small base at Kadugli, supplemented by short-term visits. World Food Programme has limited access via El Obeid for its food aid programme. The Food and Agriculture Organisation seeds programme in Kordofan plans to include Kadugli.
The Save the Children Fund (USA), CARE International and FAR—Fellowship for African Relief—have mandates agreed with the Government of Sudan which cover Dillinge and Kadugli but specific projects have yet to be implemented.
A United Nations agencies assessment mission in February reported food aid needs around Kadugli and Dillinge of around 300 tonnes per month for about 25,000 people. Non-food needs included drinking water, supplementary feeding, blankets, medicines and education facilities. A recent nutrition survey of children in the indigenous population and displaced camps indicated worsening levels of malnutrition of up to 19 per cent. UNICEF and WFP are urgently seeking to address these needs.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received on the reservations of the Sudan People's Liberation Army about signing a draft agreement in Nairobi with the Sudanese Government for the distribution of humanitarian aid; and what assessment he has made of the effect of these proposals on international aid agencies, with particular reference to British based agencies.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
We understand that the SPLA raised a number of objections to four of the five proposed relief routes which pass through territory controlled by its forces. Talks between the parties are still continuing and a United Nations Operation Lifeline Sudan statement is expected next week.
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International aid agencies, including British-based agencies, have reported no major effects on their relief operations as a result of the current talks. They are continuing to press to maintain and improve access to areas in need, although land routes are now being affected by the onset of the rainy season. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.