$100m emergency aid to Sudan by World Bank

Sudan – For the first time ever, two United Nations agencies in Sudan have offered direct contribution towards humanitarian aid between them. UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received emergency aid of $100 million from World Bank. The Sudan Emergency Safety Nets Project aims to provide transfer of cash and food for over two million people across the crisis-wracked African nation.

“WFP is extremely grateful to the World Bank for this generous contribution, at a crucial time in Sudan when more and more people do not know where their next meal will come from,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in Sudan.

Chronic food insecurity in the impoverished country

Rising internal conflicts, mass displacement of people and rising inflation has complicated and exaggerated already shattered economic and political crisis in the country. Further exacerbation by climate change, including floods, drought and poor agricultural output has led to rising food insecurity in the country. 

“As hunger continues to rise at an alarming rate, one-third of the population is facing food insecurity,” noted WFP. 

“By September, up to 18 million people, or 40 per cent of the population, could slip into hunger,” according to the Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment that was released in June.

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New project a lifeline for Sudan

The new launched project in Sudan will help the UN food relief agency to support lives while “laying the foundation for a more targeted social safety net system in Sudan by supporting the most vulnerable to withstand shocks and build more resilient livelihoods for the long term”. 

“This funding will help to mitigate a looming hunger crisis in Sudan and inform future social safety net systems for the country’s most vulnerable that not only saves but changes lives,” said Mr. Rowe.

The allocation of emergency humanitarian aid has been provided by the World Bank-managed Sudan Transition and Recovery Support Trust Fund (STARS), and supported by the European Union, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Norway, Canada, Italy, Finland, Spain, Ireland, and the World Bank-administered State and Peacebuilding Fund.