The United Nations World Food Programme announced today, Thursday, that food products designated for those in need in Sudan, valued between $13 and $14 million, have been looted since fighting erupted last month. Eddie Rowe, the program's director in Sudan, spoke from Port Sudan via video call, stating that looting is rampant in the country and that some reports of theft of World Food Programme supplies are still under investigation. He added, "We estimated that around 17,000 tons were looted, some from our warehouses and others from trucks. This amounts to between $13 and $14 million, just in terms of food costs. We receive almost daily reports of additional looting incidents."
Rowe's remarks came a day after UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths urged the warring parties in Sudan to pledge safe passage for humanitarian aid and personnel. Rowe stated that the World Food Programme urgently needs to purchase more supplies for Sudan. He continued, "We know that if we do not buy raw materials now, our stock will run out in the next two to three months." He added, "We have already started reaching out to our donors to find out how quickly we can purchase and deliver to the locations that we can access and where it is relatively safe to provide assistance."
