The World Bank on Thursday agreed to provide the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) with $100 million to address growing food insecurity in Sudan amid worsening hunger caused by a poor harvest and rising international food prices, reported The Reuters.
The project aims to provide cash transfers and food to more than two million people needing aid across 11 of Sudan’s 18 states. It has received funding from by the European Union, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Norway, Canada, Italy, Finland, Spain and Ireland. Also, the World Bank’s State and Peacebuilding Fund will contribute to this new support programme.
Following a coup in October last year that ended the civilian-led transition, the World Bank suspended its disbursements for operations in Sudan, and the projects’ funds will be channelled through the WFP directly.
“While funding under agreements signed with the Government of Sudan remains paused, development partners are pleased to provide direct support to the Sudanese people during this critical time,” said Ousmane Dione, the country director at World Bank.
Earlier this year, the WFP estimated that the number of people experiencing crisis and emergency levels of hunger will reach 18 million, nearly half the country’s population, by September in Sudan, a country of about 45 million.
Sudan, one of the world’s poorest countries, is already facing an economic crisis that has deepened since last year’s coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
After the coup, the World Bank froze vital aid, and the bank on Thursday said the pause of disbursements to the Sudanese government will remain in effect. Before the coup, international aid amounted to some $2 billion, some 40 percent of Sudan’s state budget.
The resumption of direct international financial and economic support to the Sudanese government is linked to the restoration of the civilian government.
