UN faces funding shortfall for Sudan's humanitarian needs

The United Nations says it faces a funding shortfall of more than USD 700 million for Sudan's 2016 humanitarian needs.

According to the reports, in July, the UN made a USD 952-million (about 845-million-euro) humanitarian aid appeal for Sudan. The UN aid agencies have raised only USD 242.6 million as of the beginning of August.

"We still are very, very low in terms of the total funding requirement," Marta Ruedas, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, said at a news conference in Sudan’s capital Khartoum on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day on Wednesday.

"There is no doubt that this year we are in a worse situation with regard to the level of funding."

The UN's 2016 humanitarian response plan for Sudan aims to assist about 4.6 million people, including tens of thousands of South Sudanese who sought refuge in Sudan fleeing the conflict and food shortages in their country.

Ruedas also stated, "If we are not able to count on the support of any and all donors to make up that funding, we will have to review our forecast in terms of who we are able to assist."

The bulk of the humanitarian aid in 2016 is aimed at helping people in the country’s war-torn Darfur region.

SS