Today's top news: Ukraine, Sudan

Ukraine

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Denise Brown, visited the Danube port of Izmail on Saturday. Her visit took place three days after it was hit in an attack damaging a grain storage facility. 

The thousands of tons of damaged grains in the attack would have been enough to feed approximately 66 million people for a day. 

This attack is not isolated and with Russia’s decision to terminate the Black Sea Initiative already impacting global food prices, this will continue to affect the most vulnerable people.

As you will recall, the Secretary-General also condemned Russia’s intensification of attacks on Ukrainian ports, calling for the immediate cessation of all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. 

We continue to sound the alarm about the plight of civilians in the country already facing a dire situation, as the intensification of attacks affecting critical civilian infrastructure in the country will likely worsen the humanitarian needs.

Sudan

Last week, the first humanitarian convoy to reach East Darfur since the start of the conflict arrived in the state, after nine days on the road. 

OCHA negotiated the movement of these trucks from White Nile to Ad Du'ayn, the capital of East Darfur. 

The convoy delivered some 400 tons of agricultural seeds provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization, to be distributed to farmers across the state by the Ministry of Agriculture. 

Further humanitarian access is urgently required so that all agricultural areas in Darfur can benefit from the provision of seeds. All parties must also provide farmers access to agricultural lands and ensure their protection as they plant and harvest their crops. 

A failed agricultural season would have further devastating consequences on all communities in Darfur.