Today's top news: Sudan, Syria

Men and a woman stand, some have sacks in front of them on the ground

Seeds being distributed to farmers in Kassala state as part of a national campaign to support livelihoods and agriculture in Sudan. August 2023. FAO

Sudan

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths today on Twitter announced an allocation of US$20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to assist the growing number of people in need in the country.

Civilian displacement is continuing at an alarming scale and has now topped 4.5 million, including 3.6 million internally displaced.

This new allocation builds on previous support, bringing the total CERF funding for the crisis to $60 million.

While humanitarian needs soar in Sudan, the funding remains critically low with 26 per cent of the $2.6 billion Humanitarian Response Plan received so far.

Syria

The UN has completed the 200th cross-border mission to north-west Syria since the first interagency visit to Idleb on February 14, following the earthquake earlier that month.

During the mission on Sunday and crossing through Bab al-Salam, World Health Organization (WHO) personnel conducted monitoring visits to health facilities and WHO warehouses in Afrin and Azaz and met with local partners.

We and our humanitarian partners continue to deliver urgently needed aid through the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee border crossings. Today, 17 trucks carrying humanitarian shelter items from the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR crossed into north-west Syria via Bab al-Salam.