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The humanitarian crisis in Greater Darfur, Sudan - ECHO's response

Sommaire: June 3, 2004: The humanitarian crisis in Greater Darfur, Sudan - ECHO's response (Brussels)

FR - DE

The European Commission is extremely concerned about the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in the Greater Darfur region of Sudan, where a violent conflict has been raging since early 2003. The ceasefire signed in N'Djamena on 8 April is clearly a welcome development, particularly insofar as it commits the parties to allow fast and unrestricted humanitarian access and to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in accordance with international humanitarian law and principles. However, there is a long way to go before durable stability and, eventually, peace can be re-established. In the meantime, protection remains a top priority and daunting humanitarian needs in all sectors will have to be addressed.

This vast region of eastern Sudan is one of the poorest in the country. It is estimated that thousands of people have died over the past 12 months as a direct or indirect consequence of the conflict. About 2 million people - a third of the entire population of the Darfur region - are badly affected. Between 750,000 and 1,000,000 people have been displaced within Sudan and a further 110,000 people have fled across the border into Chad. Serious violations of human rights have been reported by the UN and human rights organisations, and most specialised agencies and other observers warn that the humanitarian situation can only get worse. The European Commission has urged the Government of Sudan to abide by its obligations regarding the protection of its own civilians. This includes actively disarming and prosecuting armed groups acting against civilians. The European Commission has further called upon the Government of Sudan to facilitate the establishment of a truly conducive environment in which a serious and meaningful humanitarian operation can be mounted.

According to the United Nations, needs in most sectors (food, shelter, clean water, primary health care) are only being partially met. Relief organisations have had problems reaching people requiring assistance. Only about 350,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) have started to receive aid. Lengthy procedures are required to obtain visas and travel permits and a number of humanitarian agencies have been denied access to Darfur. The security situation remains extremely precarious for resident civilians and also aid workers are operating under difficult and at times unsafe conditions. Access is further confined by poor road infrastructure, the size of the territory affected (roughly equivalent to France), the large number of locations and pockets in which IDPs are located as well as the forthcoming rainy season. Supplies must often be delivered by air. This makes relief operations very expensive.

Most uprooted people are agro-pastoralists who have lost all their livestock, seeds, tools and other vital assets due to systematic looting. They are unable to return home in time for the current planting season for security reasons. Crops, water sources and irrigation channels have been destroyed, which makes return and resettlement difficult if not impossible.

Child malnutrition levels are alarming in some areas. It is possible that a large-scale food crisis will develop, and the situation can only be kept under control through massive general food distribution and other types of nutritional support. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is in the process of mounting a massive food aid operation that will eventually cater for the needs of 1.2 million people, assuming access is granted.

ECHO's response so far

These sums are in addition to ECHO's regular 2004 programme for Sudan worth €20 million.

ECHO funds have been used to provide integrated emergency assistance to the affected populations, as follows: ECHO has also been active in raising awareness among the donor and humanitarian community about the current crisis and the constraints faced by humanitarian organisations.

Since 1994, ECHO has allocated close to €230 million in humanitarian assistance to both the north (Government-controlled areas) and the south (opposition-controlled). The main objective of ECHO's interventions has consistently been to save lives and relieve the suffering of the most vulnerable populations affected by conflict and natural disasters.

Other Commission actions

The resumption of bilateral cooperation with Sudan is conditional on the signature of a comprehensive peace agreement, currently under discussion. However, the EC has funded so far some initiatives as part of its "Linking Relief Rehabilitation and Development" (LRRD) strategy, notably:

Ongoing activities: Under preparation: The project "Improving human rights in rural areas. €0.3 million implemented by the British NGO SOAT (Sudan Organization Against Torture) monitoring activities in Darfur are programmed.

More information on ECHO activities can be found at the following web site:

http://europa.eu.int:8082/comm/echo/field/sudan/index_en.htm



  • Ref: EC04-137EN
  • Source UE: Commission Européenne
  • UN forum: 
  • Date: 3/6/2004


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