United Nations assessment mission to Nuba Mountains

New York, 13 May 1998 - Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.--- The United Nations today warmly welcomed the announcement from the Government of Sudan that it would, for the first time, grant access to rebel-held areas of the Nuba Mountains next week so that an assessment of humanitarian needs in the area can be made.
The announcement was made during the visit of the Netherlands Minister for Development Cooperation, H.E. Jan P. Pronk and followed interventions made by the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, on a stopover in Khartoum on 9 May, and by high level representatives from the Office of the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs earlier this month.

The announcement comes after repeated attempts by the United Nations over the last ten years to gain access to one of the most forgotten, destitute populations in Sudan.

The first assessment mission to the Nuba Mountains is scheduled to take place from next week and will be conducted by a United Nations team from Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS). The team will assess the food, health and other needs of populations in rebel-held areas of the Nuba Mountains. OLS is also planning assessment missions in Government areas of the Nuba throughout the next month.

The United Nations is hopeful that once the needs of the Nuba people have been assessed, agreement can be reached quickly on delivering relief to these areas.

The United Nations also welcomed the announcement of the Government of Sudan that it will provide to the World Food Programme in Khartoum with 2,000 Mts of grain for delivery from Al Obeid in northern Sudan to populations in urgent need in Bahr Al Ghazal.

For further information:

New York: Tony Raby (212-963-1608)
Khartoum: Trudi Witbreuk (249-11-783757)
Nairobi: Gillian Wilcox OLS (254-2-622403)
Brenda Barton, WFP (254-2-622594)