General Situation
The last four months have seen a confirmation of signs of an improving humanitarian situation across southern Sudan compared with 1998. As a result, the ICRC's focus is now on post-emergency and rehabilitation activities. However, the ongoing conflict, with sporadic outbreaks of fighting in the south, in particular in the Upper Nile region, on the eastern border (the Blue Nile region, Kassala, the Red Sea) and in the Nuba area, means that the security environment remains fragile. Moreover, according to the

KHARTOUM, March 31 (AFP) - Diarrhea blamed on contaminated water has claimed 200 lives in southern Sudan in one month, a Khartoum newspaper reported Wednesday.

Some 2,000 people were reported as suffering from the disease in Upper Nile State as of the end of last week, the Al Rai al Aam daily said, quoting Transport Minister Lam Akol.

The minister, a medical doctor who had headed a government delegation that delivered 1.5 tonnes of medicine to the area, said the epidemic had been brought under control with the arrival of medical teams.

He said a drinking water station would

All Africa News (March 29, 1999) - Dinka and Nuer chiefs including church and community leaders met in a peace and reconciliation conference at Wunlit, Tonj county in Bahr el Ghazal between February 27 to March 8 under the auspices of the New Sudan Council of Churches NSCC.

It was the first meeting of its kind after more than seven and a half years of fierce fighting following the split of the SPLA in August 28, 1991. Our Correspondent Makur Kot Dhuor attended and reports on the deliberations.

The West Bank peace conference was the

NATIONS UNIES
Bureau pour la Coordination des Affaires Humanitaires / IRIN
pour l'Afrique Centrale et de l'Est
Tel: +254 2 622 147
Fax: +254 2 622 129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org

REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO (RDC)

Garreton condamne la recrudescence de la violence

Le Rapporteur spécial de l'ONU pour les droits de l'homme en RDC, Roberto Garreton, a condamné la recrudescence de la violence dans les Kivus. Dans un communiqué publié jeudi à Genève, il a exhorté toutes les parties combattant dans la région à respecter le

This report includes: A) Sudan B) Somalia C) Zambia - refugee influx D) Afghanistan E) FR Yugoslavia and region - Kosovo crisis.
From Manuel Aranda da Silva, Chief, Technical Support Service. Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/ or by electronic mail from Deborah.Hicks@wfp.org or Natasha.Nadazdin@wfp.org (fax 39 06 6513 2837). For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org or Marius.deGaayFortman@wfp.org at WFP Rome,

HIGHLIGHTS
Angola

Angola is currently experiencing its most severe political and humanitarian crisis since the signing of the UN brokered Lusaka protocol peace accord in 1994. Fresh waves of population displacements have aggravated an already precarious food situation in parts of the country. There are estimated to be over 650,000 IDPs and many others have fled the country. Of particular concern are those IDPs in Malanje, Huambo and Kuito where UNITA forces have besieged the cities. Given the extreme insecurity on the country's roads, WFP must currently deliver 80-90%

World Food Programme - Rome
1. HIGHLIGHTS

146 deaths and 2,244 cases have so far been reported in Malakal town and eight neighbouring locations since an outbreak of diarrhoea started at the end of January. The affected locations are within the Sobat and Renk-Tonga river corridors.

WFP received six reconditioned engines in February, enough for three pushers. When all three pushers are rehabilitated, WFP will have a capacity of 5,200 MT, enough to mount simultaneous barge convoys along the five river corridors.

2. DISTRIBUTION

2.1 Northern Sector

Bahr el Ghazal, Wau:

At a Glance

• Flow of refugees into Zambia from DRC's Katanga province continues 7,000 Sierra Leonean refugees registered in Guinea in two weeks
• Thousands of Rwandans have returned spontaneously to the northwest, according to officials
• Tanzania-Burundi-UNHCR tripartite meeting planned for late March is postponed
• Work advances on camps for Angolan and Congolese refugees in the DRC

GREAT LAKES

REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The U.N. Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD) in New York announced on 18 March that security measures in Brazzaville

UNITED NATIONS - Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, appealed to the international community today to quickly increase aid to Sudan in order to avoid a humanitarian crisis reminiscent of last year's severe food shortages which caused the deaths of thousands of Sudanese.
WFP must raise at least $64 million in the coming days to purchase 55,000 metric tons of food to avoid complete exhaustion of its food aid stocks for the war-torn country. Most urgently needed are pulses, oil, corn-soya blend and cereals.

Because purchase, shipping and preparation