KHARTOUM/CAIRO, Oct. 29 — Sudan on Tuesday declared two senior officials of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) personae non gratae and ordered them to leave the country within 72 hours, the official SUNA news agency reported.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned WFP Country Director Laurent Bukera to inform him that both he and WFP Head of Operations Samantha Chattaraj were declared unwelcome, SUNA reported. The ministry said the government remains fully committed to cooperating with global organizations “in accordance with internationally recognized rules and laws, including respect for state sovereignty,” it reported.
While no reasons were provided for the expulsion, the ministry said the decision will not affect ongoing cooperation with WFP on humanitarian and development programs in Sudan, it reported.
The WFP has been operating in Sudan for decades and is a leading humanitarian organization providing food assistance to millions affected by conflicts and disasters across the country.
In a separate development, the Operational Humanitarian Country Team in Sudan and the Arab League (AL) both condemned the escalating violence in El Fasher in western Sudan’s Darfur region, as dozens of civilians in El Fasher have been reportedly killed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after it claimed to have seized the city on Sunday.
“Access to El Fasher remains severely restricted, and the capacity to respond is rapidly shrinking, while needs increase,” the Operational Humanitarian Country Team said in a statement.
In a statement, the AL urged all warring parties to “prioritize dialogue” and fully activate regional and global political efforts to “stop the bloodshed” and restore security and peace in Sudan.
The Sudan Founding Alliance, a coalition that includes the RSF, several armed movements, political parties, and civil society forces, has denied any violence against civilians in El Fasher.
The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, now in its third year, has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and left much of the country on the brink of famine.
On Sunday, the RSF said it had seized El Fasher after months of clashes with the SAF and allied groups. On Monday, the SAF vowed to retake the city. (Xinhua)
