Today's top news: Sudan, Ukraine, CERF allocation, Syria

#
Sudan

We have made deliveries of life-saving assistance in hard-to-reach parts of the Darfur region.

In recent days, we have facilitated convoys to both North and South Darfur. This is the first time that OCHA has negotiated cross-line access to these areas. 

More than 20 trucks arrived in El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, on Saturday. They were carrying hundreds of tons of seeds from the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as health supplies and medicines from the World Health Organization and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). 

And last week, three UNICEF trucks carrying 50 metric tons of nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies reached several localities in South Darfur: Gerida, Buram, Dimso, Karkada and Marmosa.

Since 22 May, OCHA has facilitated the delivery of more than 2,400 trucks of humanitarian assistance – that’s over 110,000 tons of aid – to different locations across Sudan. 

And our colleagues from the International Organization for Migration tell us that internal displacement from the conflict in Sudan has now topped 4 million people. In just the last week, more than 274,000 people have been displaced inside the country. 

Meanwhile, more than 992,000 people have fled across Sudan’s borders, according to UNHCR.

This brings the total displaced by the fighting to more than 5 million people. 

#Ukraine

Our colleagues on the ground tell us civilians were injured and civilian infrastructure, including agricultural assets, were damaged in attacks on port facilities and grain infrastructure along the Danube River in Odesa Region on 3 and 4 September.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned the repeated attacks on the Danube's ports and grain facilities which have far-reaching humanitarian consequences for Ukrainian farmers, but also for people worldwide already grappling with rising food costs. 

Since the Russian Federation’s decision not to extend the Black Sea Initiative, the Danube’s ports and grain facilities are one of the main alternatives to ensure Ukrainian food reaches the global market, which is vital to prevent higher prices and increased hunger.

#CERF allocation

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths today released US$125 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to boost underfunded humanitarian operations in 14 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. 

This year’s global humanitarian funding requirements have surpassed $55 billion, but it is less than 30 per cent funded.

Today’s allocation will help scale up humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and Yemen ($20 million each), Burkina Faso ($9 million), Mali ($8 million), Myanmar ($9 million), Haiti ($8 million), Venezuela ($8 million), the Central African Republic ($6.5 million), Mozambique ($6.5 million), Cameroon ($6 million), the Occupied Palestinian Territories ($6 million), and Malawi ($4 million).

The allocation will also support refugee operations in Bangladesh ($8 million) and Uganda ($6 million).

With this additional funding, CERF has allocated a record $270 million so far this year through its Underfunded Emergencies window. This is the largest annual amount ever allocated, to the highest number of countries, a reflection of skyrocketing humanitarian needs.

#Syria

There has been an escalation in hostilities in Deir-ez-Zor Governorate. 

Humanitarian partners report that since 27 August, at least 54 civilians have been killed, including four children. Critical public infrastructure has also been damaged, including two hospitals and three water treatment facilities. 

We also have reports about civilian displacement, but numbers are still being confirmed.  

Partners on the ground have called on all parties to facilitate free and unimpeded movement and take measures to prevent attacks on health facilities and other civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, an uptick in hostilities across Idleb and northern Aleppo governorates has killed four civilians, including two children, and injured dozens of others. At least 500 families have been displaced. The UN and its partners are closely monitoring the situation and continuing to deliver assistance as needed.