Sudan faces major recovery challenges despite recent strides – UN official

Sudan has made tremendous strides towards peace and recovery in the past few years, but major challenges such as lack of clean water, high maternal mortality and low school enrolment require the sustained support of the country’s partners, the top United Nations relief official there said today.

The UN and its partners still need $1.5 billion of the $2.2 billion sought for the 2009 Sudan Work Plan, which was launched last November and covers humanitarian and early recovery needs throughout the vast African nation.

Almost half of the funds sought in what is the world’s largest humanitarian appeal are earmarked for the war-torn region of Darfur, where an estimated 4.7 million people continue to be in need of assistance after six years of conflict.

“Sudan has taken tremendous strides towards peace and recovery in the past few years,” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ameerah Haq told a news conference in Khartoum, noting that the UN and partners have been successful in delivering basic services such as food, water and shelter in many parts of the country over the past four years.

Among the other achievements, she cited the building of the first all weather roads in Southern Sudan around Yambio; over 8,000 teachers trained for enhanced education across Sudan; 6.5 million children receiving vitamin supplements; and over 686,000 households receiving food assistance.

“But there are still enormous challenges. Humanitarian and social indicators in many parts of the country are alarming,” added Ms. Haq, who is also the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Sudan.

“In the south, more than half the population does not have access to clean water, and the number of mothers dying in childbirth is one of the highest in the world, and the number of people immunised one of the lowest.

“In some eastern states malnutrition rates are above the emergency threshold, and in several regions school enrolment rates are among the worst worldwide,” she reported.

In addition to addressing those challenges, Ms. Haq also stressed the UN’s commitment to tackle important environmental issues. “Sudan’s natural resource base has been damaged by decades of conflict. It is critical to reverse this damage,” she stated.

The 2009 Work Plan is the result of collaboration by government, donors, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and covers a total of 910 projects across 10 sectors.