Statement on South Kordofan, Sudan - Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, 30 August 2011

(New York: 30 August 2011): The crisis in South Kordofan has reached a critical point. The Government of Sudan has denied permission to international aid agencies to replenish stocks and deploy personnel for six weeks. Essential supplies have been completely depleted in many parts of South Kordofan, leaving many people in a life-threatening situation without any prospect of relief. I was disturbed to hear that government authorities last week cancelled an essential humanitarian assessment mission to the region.

Unless there is an immediate stop to the fighting, and humanitarian organizations are granted immediate and unhindered independent access throughout South Kordofan, people in many parts of the State face potentially catastrophic levels of malnutrition and mortality.

While I welcome the fact that relief supplies have been distributed recently in the State capital, Kadugli, I am concerned that other parts of South Kordofan remain cut off. More than 200,000 people affected by recent fighting have been prevented from receiving aid.

The Government of Sudan and the SPLM-N must lift restrictions on humanitarian organizations so they can provide timely and effective assistance to people in need. Unless aid is delivered in sufficient quantities now, the consequences will be severe.