WFP 国連世界食糧計画スーダン局長、スーダンへの支援を呼びかける （英文）

YOKOHAMA – On an eight-day mission to Japan, Kenro Oshidari, Representative of the WFP Sudan Office, emphasized the greater need for the people of Japan to raise awareness of the situation in Sudan and for greater support.

“WPF will have to continue to provide humanitarian aid in Darfur due to continuing conflict and assistance to South Sudan as the peace process has just started and is very fragile,” said Oshidari in a lecture on Thursday, 12 October, at the Elizabeth Rose Hall in the UN House, Tokyo. 110 participants came to hear Oshidari on the current situation in Sudan, WFP’s activities and the projections for the up-coming year.

“One of the main reasons for my mission to Japan at this time is to ask for an even greater support of the government of Japan and the people of Japan,” Oshidari stated.

During his visit, Oshidari met with senior government officials and conveyed WFP's appreciation for Japan's generous support to the hungry people in Sudan, including the July contribution of US$8.5 million through WFP. With this, WFP has purchased 5,400MT of wheat and 2,400MT of corn-soya blend, part of which has already arrived in the Port of Sudan and will be distributed to the conflict-affected people in Darfur and other vulnerable regions in Sudan.

Oshidari stressed the need to assist those affected by the continuing conflict in Darfur, despite the Peace Agreement signed in May 2006. The escalated fighting has had a devastating effect on the already marginalized lives of almost 3 million people in Darfur.

Oshidari also emphasized WFP's critical role in contributing to the peace-process in southern Sudan. WFP's activities, including food aid for returnees and road construction programmes, are the only "peace dividends" for the people in the south after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the north and the south in January 2005.

WFP has established a strong multi-bi relationship in the south with Japanese partners, such as JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and Japanese NGOs. WFP provides food to JICA's vocational training center in Juba through a Food-For-Training programme while WFP have been in discussion with four Japanese NGOs (World Vision Japan, ADRA Japan, Peace Winds Japan and AAR Japan) to start programmes together to assist returnees to the south including Food-For-Work and school feeding.

Oshidari added that recovery can only begin when there is evidence that the signed peace agreement is being implemented on the ground. Oshidari expressed his wish for Japan's continued support to protect the lives of those affected by conflict.

Oshidari concluded, “We hope that our activities will soon change from emergency assistance to rehabilitation, promoting peace and stability. However, when considering the present situation and the rate of development, the need for humanitarian aid in Sudan will continue into 2007.”