UN mission arrives in Sudan

(Khartoum, 28 April 2004): A United Nations high level mission has arrived in Sudan to gather first hand information on the humanitarian situation in Darfur. The team is led by UN World Food Programme Executive Director, James Morris, and includes representatives from UN headquarters and from the UN operational agencies. The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan, Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen is also on the mission, which comes in response to an invitation from the Government of Sudan conveyed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The mission will report its findings to the UN Secretary-General.
The mission will meet with national and local government officials, affected populations and displaced people, non-governmental and international organisations, community leaders, UN colleagues, donors and the diplomatic community to review and address issues of civilian protection, humanitarian access and operations. The mission will visit locations in all three regions of Darfur, to gather first hand information on the humanitarian situation, and assess the scope of the crisis. Its terms of reference also include reviewing humanitarian operations; assessing the safety and protection of civilians; means of expanding effective assistance and strengthening operational capacity and coordination.

Mr. Morris and senior mission members met this morning with the Sudanese president, HE Lt Gen President Omar Hassan el Basir, in a cordial atmosphere before departure to Darfur. The mission will return to Khartoum on Friday 30 April and depart the country from Saturday evening onwards.

For further information, please call: Ben Parker, Khartoum/Darfur-254 733 609 869