UN mission chief says one-third of world's humanitarian needs are focused on Sudan

An interim framework agreement for peace for western Sudan's Darfur could come by the end of the year, but a process of inclusive talks should then begin so that the population could address the root causes of the conflict, the head of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said today.

In the seventh and current round of peace negotiations in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, although the parties' positions were far apart, the Government had an interest in making peace ahead of its 50th independence anniversary in January, while the rebel groups, though split, had shown some flexibility and pragmatism, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Jan Pronk told a news conference in Geneva.

Mr. Pronk and Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator Manuel Aranda da Silva today launched the Sudan Work Plan costing $1.7 billion, currently the largest funding appeal in the world and one-third of the $4.7 billion goal of the UN consolidated humanitarian appeal.

With bandits and militias roaming Darfur, a peace agreement was needed to end the nearly three-year-old conflict so that the parties could begin talks, Mr. Pronk said.

Financing security forces in Darfur could go a long way to creating the conditions in which the Sudanese could solve their problems, he said.

The African Union (AU) had said it would need around 8,000 troops at the present stage, but as soon as peace was established they would need 12,000 so as to protect the areas to which IDPs and refugees were returning. The people did not trust the Government since the militias attacking them had had good relations with the Government a couple of years ago, he said.

Within the North-South Sudanese conflict, there was a commitment to 10,000 African union troops, but only 4,000 were on the ground and although the AU troops were excellent they lacked sufficient equipment, he said.

An estimated 7 million Sudanese internally displaced persons and refugees were starting to return home, mainly to the South, where the 21-year civil war ended this year. About a half a million returned to the south this year and the return of another 700,000 was planned for next year. Schools, water and health infrastructure had to be established. Landmines had to be removed from some 10.000 kilometres of road in the South, Mr. Pronk said.

UN World Food Programme (WFP) spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume told the Friday Geneva briefing that an estimated 5.6 million people would need food aid, including 2.5 million in Darfur, but the figures could only b confirmed after the harvest was brought in.

While last year's Work Plan garnered nearly $1 billion in support, much of the funding came late in the year and fulfilled only 52 per cent of Sudan's needs.