Statement on Southern Kordofan, Sudan - Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos, 24 July 2011

(New York: 24 July 2011): I am concerned that humanitarian supplies for the people in SPLMN held areas of Southern Kordofan are dwindling. If we are not allowed access to replenish them, the consequences for civilians affected by the fighting will be grave. Children, elderly people and mothers risk hunger and disease.

Humanitarian partners, who were in these areas before the conflict erupted, have distributed emergency aid including food and basic medicines to over 70,000 people in mountainous areas of Southern Kordofan State. However, I am concerned about how people will cope when the emergency food ration they have received runs out.

Ongoing conflict has prevented them from planting and they may continue to rely on emergency food assistance that humanitarian agencies have been providing.

If access continues to be denied to humanitarian agencies, they will not be able to take stock of the remaining humanitarian supplies nor assess how much is necessary in order to respond to the needs of vulnerable civilians.

I call on all parties to the conflict to allow aid to be brought into Southern Kordofan and moved into the affected areas.