Wednesday, August 16, 2000
Annan announces resumption of UN humanitarian flights to Sudan
15 August -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced
today that UN humanitarian flights to the Sudan, suspended since last Tuesday
in response to violence against aid facilities, will resume tomorrow.
A UN spokesman told reporters in New York that Mr. Annan welcomed assurances he had received from Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir that "all measures are being taken" to ensure the safety of personnel and aircraft from Operation Lifeline Sudan -- the emergency humanitarian programme which brings together non-governmental organizations and UN partner agencies.
"The Secretary-General trusts that the Government of the Sudan and other parties to the conflict will continue to honour fully their commitment to ensure the safety and security of relief workers," spokesman Manoel de Almeida e Silva said. He added that the warring parties must also protect "the vulnerable populations whose urgent needs UN humanitarian personnel are trying to address throughout the country."
The flights, set to resume tomorrow, were temporarily suspended on 8 August after repeated aerial bombings around humanitarian facilities in the southern Bahr-El-Ghazel region prompted the UN World Food Programme to evacuate its staff from the area.
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