afrol News, 14 December - Sudanese authorities need more than US $2 billion to implement hundreds of humanitarian and development projects in their country, especially in the war-ravaged regions.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, already 20% of the funding has been secured.

A total of over 900 humanitarian and development projects are needed to be implemented in 12 areas of the troubled Western Sudanese region of Darfur. Apart from claiming the lives of over 200,000 and displaced two millions, the Darfur conflict has also destroyed the infrastructure and services.

Over four million people in the region are said to be still living with direct offshoot of the crisis, which has attracted international attention.

Sudan grapples with so many problems such as lack of safe drinking water, diseases and malnutrition. About 30% of the country's population are still without access to safe drinking water.

The UN has not only asked the donor community to bail out Sudan from the humanitarian and development crisis, it has also stressed the need for the money to utilised in a way that it benefit the affected populations. The world body is committed to turning Sudan from "a conflict-affected nation to one capable of providing for the needs of its population."

After more than two decades of conflict between the North and South Sudan, a comprehensive peace accord was signed by the government and the warring parties in 2005. This ended the conflict as well as resulted to the formation of a government of national unity.

In recent weeks, Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir has been holding crisis meetings with Salva Kiir, the Vice President of the unity government and President of South Sudan. The two leaders agreed on so many key issues.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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