United Nations humanitarian chief arrives in Sudan

(New York, 6 May 2009): United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes arrived in Khartoum today on a five-day visit to review humanitarian programmes in both Southern Sudan and Darfur.

This evening the ERC will meet the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ashraf Qazi, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ameerah Haq, and representatives from the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.

Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet representatives of the Government of Sudan, and will participate in a High Level Committee meeting on the implementation of the Joint Communique on the Facilitation of Humanitarian Activities in Darfur. He will then proceed to Southern Sudan on Friday 8 May, where he will meet UN officials and representatives from the Government of Southern Sudan. He will also visit Akobo, where he will meet internally displaced persons (IDPs). On Saturday he will travel to Darfur to meet with local leaders and aid workers. He will also visit Zam Zam camp for IDPs in North Darfur.

The situation in Darfur in particular has been of great concern to the international humanitarian community especially since 4 March, 2009, when the Government of Sudan announced a decision to expel 13 international non-governmental organisations and revoke the permits of three local ones. Mr. Holmes will review the humanitarian situation in the areas, two months after the expulsions were announced. He will also review issues pertaining to the protection of civilians in Darfur.

In Southern Sudan, he will advocate for greater attention to north-south issues, the needs of civilians and a strategy for relief and recovery in Southern Sudan.

For further information, please call: OCHA-New York: Stephanie Bunker , +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679, bunker@un.org; Nicholas Reader, +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org, John Nyaga +1 917 367 9262, +1 917 318 8917 OCHA-Geneva: Elisabeth Byrs , +41 22 917 2653, mobile +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int For more information about CERF, please see http://cerf.un.org

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors