UN: 445$ mln needed to help some 860, 000 who could flee Sudan

The United Nations said on Thursday it needs $445 million to help the 860,000 people who could flee bloody fighting in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces by October.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees launched this appeal to collect funds from donor countries.

The response to the Sudanese crisis will require $445 million until October to cope with the rising number of people fleeing Sudan, according to UNHCR. In the coming months, 860,000 people, including Sudanese and South Sudanese, may leave Sudan who want to return to their country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spoke a few days ago about more than 800,000 people, but without giving details.

The plan presented today, Thursday, to donor countries, will cover the needs of these people in Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic.

“The humanitarian situation in and around Sudan is catastrophic,” said Raouf Mazo, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). There are shortages of food, water and fuel, limited access to transportation, communications and electricity as well as high prices of basic commodities.