UN seeks to raise $952m in aid for Sudan

The United Nations on Tuesday launched a global appeal for $952m to fund Sudan’s humanitarian needs in 2016…most of it to help people affected by the deadly conflict in Darfur.
The much delayed appeal expects to address the humanitarian needs of up to 4.6 million people, including tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have entered Sudan to escape the violence and food shortages in their country.
“Women, men, refugees and internally displaced people want us to exert our maximum efforts to provide support to them,” said Naeema Al-Gasseer, UN Humanitarian co-ordinator for Sudan.
She said the bulk of the funds would be used to meet the humanitarian needs of people in war-torn Darfur.
Violence erupted there in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels rose up against President Omar al-Bashir, accusing his Arab-dominated government of marginalising the region.
Bashir mounted a brutal counter-insurgency campaign and at least 300 000 people have been killed in the conflict, the UN says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes.