Sudan – Complex Emergency
Situation Report #3, - (FY) 2010 January 08, 2010
Background
In 2010, Sudan continues to cope with the effects of conflict, displacement, and insecurity countrywide. Since 2003, a
complex emergency in Sudan’s western region of Darfur has affected more than 4.7 million people, including nearly 2.7
million internally displaced persons (IDPs). In Darfur, conflict continues among armed opposition factions, the
Sudanese Armed Forces, militias, and ethnic groups.
The National Congress Party and the southern-based Sudan People’s Liberation Movement continue to implement the
2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) through the joint Government of National Unity (GNU). The formation
of the GNU officially ended more than two decades of north–south conflict. During the conflict, famine, fighting, and
disease killed more than 2 million people, forced an estimated 500,000 Sudanese to seek refuge in neighboring
countries, and displaced an additional 4 million individuals within Sudan. The U.N. estimates that since 2005, more
than 2.2 million people have returned to Southern Sudan and the Three Areas of Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, and
Abyei, straining scarce resources and weak infrastructure.
In eastern Sudan, the GNU and the Eastern Front opposition coalition signed the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement in
2006. However, humanitarian needs persist in the area, which has experienced slow recovery following decades of
conflict. Access to the east remains restricted due to GNU control on travel.
On October 1, 2009, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i., Mark L. Asquino renewed the disaster declaration for the complex
emergency in Sudan for FY 2010. The U.S. Mission in Sudan has declared disasters due to the complex emergency
annually since 1987.
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
| IDP's in Sudan |
| From Southern Sudan |
2.7 million |
UNHCR1 – 10/08 |
| In Darfur |
2.7 million |
OCHA2 – 01/09 |
| In Eastern Sudan |
168,000 |
U.N – 09/07 |
| Sudanese Refugees |
| From Darfur |
268,000 |
UNHCR – 6/09 |
| From Southern Sudan |
138,270 |
UNHCR – 2/09 |
| Returnees to Southern Sudan |
327,984 |
UNHCR – 8/09 |
| Refugees in Sudan |
| From Eritrea, Chad, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC), and other nations: |
280,000 |
UNHCR – 12/09 |
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FY 2010 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE
| USAID/FFP3 Assistance to Sudan |
$169,127,000 |
| Total USAID and State Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan |
$169,127,000 |
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CURRENT SITUATION IN DARFUR
Insecurity continues to hinder the provision of
humanitarian assistance to affected populations in
Darfur. Humanitarian organizations nevertheless
continue to monitor food security and population
movement throughout Darfur and provide food and
non-food assistance to affected populations.
Security and Humanitarian Access
Between January 1 and September 28, 2009, assailants
killed seven national humanitarian staff and four
African Union–U.N. Hybrid Operations in Darfur
(UNAMID) personnel and kidnapped eleven national
staff, according to OCHA. Several additional
incidents occurred between late September and late
December 2009, including attacks killing five
UNAMID peacekeepers and the kidnapping of one
international humanitarian staff member, bringing the
total international staff members kidnapped in Darfur
during 2009 to 10. As of January 8, an International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) international staff
member kidnapped from West Darfur in October
remained missing. As a result, ICRC has suspended
humanitarian activities in remote areas of Darfur.
On December 13, kidnappers released two UNAMID
civilian peacekeepers to Sudanese government security
officials following 107 days in captivity. In August,
unidentified gunmen had abducted the international
staff members from U.N. residences in Zalingei town,
West Darfur.
According to international media reports, on December
29, the head of UNAMID forces, Lieutenant General
Patrick Nyamvumba, noted that insecurity resulting
from violence between armed opposition groups had
decreased; however, an increased frequency of
kidnapping, carjacking, robbery, and inter-ethnic
fighting had resulted in a generally poor security
situation in Darfur. Lieutenant General Nyamvumba
also announced that UNAMID had deployed 77
percent of the mandated military personnel and 60
percent of the mandated police force as of December
29. UNAMID remains the U.N.’s largest
peacekeeping mission with a total of 26,000 soldiers
and police expected following complete deployment.
Food Security and Emergency Food Assistance
In mid-December, the U.N. Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) presented preliminary results of
the crop and food supply assessment mission
conducted from October to December 2009 in northern
Sudan by the Sudan Institutional Capacity Programme:
Food Security Information for Action (SIFSIA).
Assessment results indicated that unfavorable growing
conditions throughout northern Sudan resulted in crop
production levels approximately 30 percent below the
five-year average.
In Darfur, assessment findings indicated that cereal
production in North Darfur for the 2009/2010 cropping
season will likely be 26 percent of 2008/2009 cereal
production. In addition, the U.N. World Food Program
(WFP) Food Security Monitoring System (FSMS)
indicates that food security among resident
communities in West Darfur is deteriorating due to
lack of sufficient income earning opportunities. Food
security in South Darfur has also recently deteriorated
due to reduced household incomes and higher food
prices.
In FY 2009, USAID/OFDA provided nearly $6.2
million to seven partners to implement agriculture and
food security activities in Darfur, including support to
an ongoing Catholic Relief Services program
providing seed systems and agricultural inputs to
increase agricultural productivity for nearly 49,000
IDPs and conflict-affected individuals in Darfur. In
FY 2010 to date, USAID/FFP has contributed
approximately $122 million in emergency food aid to
WFP operations in Darfur.
Population Movement and Returns
During the week of December 13, the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) presented findings
from a December 12 returns and reintegration
assessment of south Abu Zerega area, North Darfur.
The assessment findings indicated a lack of basic
services, as well as restricted movement affecting
livelihood activities in Abu Kudeldel village, a
designated area of return. The assessment team also
reported that poor employment opportunities, lack of
access to water sources, and frequent land disputes
resulted in increased levels of inter-ethnic conflict.
Following release of the assessment results, OCHA
recommended a follow-up interagency mission to
assess progress in humanitarian and early recovery
issues in North Darfur. Humanitarian agencies
continue to monitor returns throughout Darfur and
advocate for voluntary and appropriate returns.
CURRENT SITUATION IN SUDAN,
EXCLUDING DARFUR
Inter-ethnic conflict and Lord’s Resistance Army
(LRA) attacks throughout Southern Sudan continue to
affect local populations resulting in significant
population displacement. Relief agencies continue to
monitor food security and provide food and non-food
assistance to vulnerable populations.
From December 6 to 12, USAID/OFDA staff traveled
to Southern Kordofan State to monitor humanitarian
conditions and assess returns trends. During the visit,
humanitarian partners reported increased food security
concerns in the state due to poor seasonal rainfall, and
noted high levels of returns to Southern Kordofan
during 2009.
Security and Humanitarian Access
During December, inter-ethnic fighting continued
throughout Southern Sudan, particularly in Lakes,
Unity, and Warab states. In addition, humanitarian
agencies noted that although LRA violence continued
in December, the frequency of attacks and associated
displacement had slightly declined.
During the first week of January, inter-ethnic fighting
in Tonj County, Warab State, killed 140 people and
injured 90 others, according to U.N. reports to
international media on January 7. U.N. peacekeepers
traveled to the remote location to assess the situation
on January 7. In addition, local media outlets reported
that early January fighting killed 17 Sudan People’s
Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers and seven civilians
in Rumbek County, Lakes State. According to the
U.N., violence in Southern Sudan has killed at least
2,500 people and displaced more than 350,000 others
since January 2009.
According to the U.N., suspected LRA members
attacked civilians in Raja County, Western Bahr el
Ghazal State on December 15. The group looted shops
and abducted more than 13 individuals to transport
stolen goods. U.N. agencies reported that the attack
killed two people and injured two others, and SPLA
forces freed 10 abductees immediately following the
incident. LRA attacks in Southern Sudan killed more
than 200 people and resulted in the abduction of
approximately 150 others between December 2008 and
November 2009, according to U.N. agencies.
In FY 2009, USAID provided more than $5.4 million
in response to increased humanitarian needs in LRAaffected
areas of Southern Sudan. In FY 2009,
State/PRM provided $2.8 million to IOM and NGO
partners to respond to the humanitarian needs of
refugees from DRC and the Central African Republic
who fled LRA violence into Southern Sudan. In
addition, State/PRM partners UNHCR and ICRC
responded in LRA-affected areas with assistance and
protection programming. Many USAID programs
supporting LRA-affected populations remain ongoing
and USAID and State/PRM staff continue to monitor
the humanitarian needs of LRA-affected populations in
Southern Sudan.
Food Security and Emergency Food Assistance
Preliminary findings from the WFP annual needs and
livelihoods assessment conducted in November
identified approximately 4.5 million food insecure
people in Southern Sudan. Initial findings also
identified Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei states as the
most-affected states, with 30 percent of assessed
households designated as severely food insecure. WFP
anticipates that food insecure households in the mostaffected
states will deplete household food stocks by
March 2010.
In mid-December, FAO reported that dry conditions
and continuing insecurity had resulted in localized
crop failure, reduced pasture for livestock, and
increased food prices in Jonglei State. In addition,
UNHCR reported that Bor County, Jonglei State, had
experienced a significant population influx from foodinsecure
areas of the state. As of mid-December, WFP
continued to pre-position food in Jonglei and planned
to verify the status of 7,500 recent arrivals in Bor
County.
Below-average June to October rainfall in many parts
of Southern Kordofan State has resulted in poor
harvest yields, according to GNU and nongovernmental
organization (NGO) representatives’
reports to USAID field staff in early December.
Although staple food prices typically decrease during
the harvest, agencies report that prices remain stable or
have increased in local markets during the current
harvest season. WFP’s 2009 food security assessment
results identified 55 percent of rural households in
Southern Kordofan as food insecure, particularly
among returnee and female-headed households. WFP
continues to provide food assistance to affected
households and plans to conduct an assessment during
2010 to determine the impact of localized drought
conditions on household food security in Southern
Kordofan. In addition, USAID/OFDA supports four
partner organizations in implementing agriculture and
food security interventions in the state, including water
management activities to enable beneficiaries in
Southern Kordofan to maximize use of water resources
during periods of low rainfall.
WFP is currently finalizing a revision to the
organization’s Emergency Operation, which appeals
for nearly 100,000 metric tons (MT) of additional food
aid to respond to rising needs. WFP intends to use
nearly 75 percent of additional food aid for affected
populations in Southern Sudan. In addition, WFP is
responding to significant food security needs in
Southern Sudan and the Three Areas by shifting
recovery-oriented programs to emergency-focused and
general food distribution activities. Other USAID
partners plan to distribute contingency food stocks and
modify current program activities to allow for
increased emergency food distribution to food insecure
households. To date in FY 2010, USAID/FFP has
provided approximately $47 million in P.L. 480 Title
II emergency food aid to USAID/FFP implementing
partners for non-Darfur Sudan.
Population Movement and Returns
In recent weeks, humanitarian agencies continued to
monitor spontaneous IDP returns throughout Southern
Sudan and the Three Areas. Relief organizations
remain concerned regarding the large number of
refugees traveling to eastern Sudan—an area that
continues to experience poor humanitarian access.
As of December 30, the U.N. estimated that
approximately 1,800 newly arrived refugees continued
to travel to eastern Sudan refugee camps each month.
In total, 66,000 refugees, primarily from Eritrea, with
lesser numbers from Ethiopia and Somalia, reside in
camps in eastern Sudan. UNHCR and the Sudanese
Commission on Refugees estimate that nearly 149,000
Eritrean refugees reside in Sudan in the formal eastern
Sudan camps, in urban and rural areas, as well as in
former camp sites no longer receiving assistance
following camp consolidation in eastern Sudan.
According to the U.N., at least 30 areas in eastern
Sudan have been designated as no-go areas for
humanitarian staff due to insecurity and the prevalence
of mines in areas bordering Ethiopia and Eritrea. The
U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration supports UNHCR to respond
to the needs of refugee populations in eastern Sudan.
During a December 6 to 12 visit to Kadugli town and
Kauda area, Heiban locality, in Southern Kordofan
State, USAID/OFDA staff reported that the March
2009 humanitarian organization expulsions
and continued lack of civil service integration have
resulted in difficulties responding to additional
humanitarian and recovery needs in the
state, particularly in the health, education, and water,
sanitation, and hygiene sectors. According the U.N.
Mission in Sudan Returns, Reintegration, and
Recovery (UNMIS RRR) Section, more than 55,000
people returned to the state between January and
December 2009. In total, nearly 389,000 IDPs have
returned to Southern Kordofan since the 2005 signing
of the CPA, according to UNMIS RRR.
USAID/OFDA partners continue to provide
reintegration assistance to returnees and support to
host communities throughout Southern Kordofan,
which remains an area of high IDP returns.
USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
The U.S. Government (USG) is the largest bilateral
donor to Sudan and has contributed more than $3.9
billion for humanitarian programs in Sudan since FY
2004. During FY 2009, USAID provided more than
$687 million to support humanitarian activities in
Sudan. During FY 2009, State/PRM provided $61.5
million in support to refugees and conflict victims
throughout Sudan.
USAID Sudan Strategy Statement (pdf,469kb)
USAID Monthly Update - October 2009 (pdf,505kb)
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