NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION STAFF EVACUATED FROM SOUTHERN SUDAN

Press Release
IHA/697

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION STAFF EVACUATED FROM SOUTHERN SUDAN

GENEVA, 1 March (OCHA) - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today confirmed on behalf of Operation Lifeline Sudan the evacuation of 149 staff members of non-governmental organizations working under the umbrella of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) in areas of southern Sudan controlled by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

The evacuation encompasses 11 of the 35 non-governmental organizations working in SPLM-administered areas as part of OLS. This represents the temporary loss of a significant proportion of the humanitarian resources provided by the OLS non- governmental organizations. This has created a void in the OLS consortium's ability to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to the people of southern Sudan, already made vulnerable by decades of war and deprivation. The impact varies in magnitude on a sectoral and location basis, with some areas of Bahr el Ghazal and Jonglei, where fewer agencies remain, a particular concern. Emergency response, health, nutrition, household food security, and water and sanitation programmes will be hardest hit.

The confirmation followed a teleconference on Tuesday, 29 February, among United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and representatives of concerned non-governmental organizations from Geneva, New York, Nairobi and Lokichoggio, Kenya.

During that conference, representatives of the non-governmental organizations expressed disappointment that an agreement regarding the text of the Memorandum of Understanding could not be reached with the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SRRA) -- the humanitarian arm of the SPLM -- after nine months of negotiations facilitated by the United Nations and donor governments and organizations. It is important to stress that all humanitarian actors involved in southern Sudan -- including the United Nations -- regret that this process has led to this situation.

The United Nations reiterated its commitment to do its utmost to facilitate an early resumption of negotiations on the Memorandum with the SRRA to pave the way for the return of all concerned non-governmental organizations for the benefit of the civilian populations in SPLM-controlled areas. Key provisions remaining to reach consensus on include a reaffirmation of humanitarian principles in the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The United Nations also urged donors in particular to maintain their support to the OLS operation.

- 2 - Press Release IHA/697 2 March 2000

During the Tuesday meeting, representatives of non-governmental organizations emphasized their shared difficulty in signing the current Memorandum. The 11 non- governmental organizations that found themselves unable to sign the Memorandum of Understanding before a Wednesday, 1 March, deadline laid down by the SRRA, expressed their wish to return to southern Sudan upon the successful negotiation of an agreed text.

Operation Lifeline Sudan is an emergency humanitarian programme serving war- affected people in the Sudan, with non-governmental organizations working alongside United Nations partner agencies including, UNICEF and WFP.

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