São Paulo – International donors have pledged to donate US$ 600 million to South Sudan so as to prevent the conflict underway in the country from deteriorating and causing even more problems to the population. The pledge was made last Tuesday (20th) at a meeting arranged by Norway at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The United Nations undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and Emergency Relief coordinator, Valerie Amos, said the funds will help save lives. These generous pledges will, once paid, translate into life-saving relief to the most vulnerable people in South Sudan and to those who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries”, Amos said.
The country has been in a crisis since 2013, as a result of a political clash between president Salva Kiir and the former vice president Riek Machar, who was forced to step down early this year. The political crisis, however, has spread out into the streets and turned into a battle, forcing the population to flee the country seeking shelter. The two politicians signed an agreement in late April for ending the conflict.
South Sudan was established in 2011, following its separation from Sudan. The country is oil-rich, but has no access to sea, therefore it ships the product to Sudan, with whom it shares revenues from exploration of the commodity.
According to the United Nations, the country needs US$ 1.8 billion in relief this year in order to ensure humanitarian assistance to its population. Out of those, US$ 1.26 billion have not been obtained. The UN claims one third of the population has no access to food, and 50,000 children are malnourished and their lives are endangered.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
