KEY DEVELOPMENTS

• In early August, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the Government of Sudan (GoS) signed separate memoranda of understanding (MoU) with the U.N., African Union (AU), and League of Arab States (LAS) tripartite group on general modalities for the delivery of relief assistance to conflict-affected populations in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states—Sudan’s “Two Areas.” Humanitarian agencies are coordinating closely with the U.S. Government and other diplomatic partners to ensure rapid implementation of the MoU.

• On August 4, unknown assailants ambushed a U.N. World Food Program (WFP) vehicle traveling on the Kadugli–Dilling road in Southern Kordofan, killing one national staff member and seriously injuring another. WFP reports that it has temporarily suspended all staff movement along the Kadugli–Dilling road but is proceeding with planned food distributions to conflict-affected populations in GoS-held areas of the state.

• On August 12, the GoS Ministry of Interior (MoI) issued a national state of emergency in response to heavy rains and associated flooding that have resulted in significant loss of life, displacement, and property damage in various parts of Sudan since July. The GoS is responding to the needs of flood-affected populations and has not appealed to international donors for assistance.

• To date in FY 2012, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) has provided Sudan with nearly $80.7 million in humanitarian assistance. USAID/OFDA funding supports agriculture and food security, health, nutrition, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions, as well as humanitarian coordination and information management, logistics, and the provision of relief commodities. In addition, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) has committed more than $181 million in FY 2012 for emergency food assistance to conflict-affected or otherwise vulnerable populations in Sudan.