Musings From Abroad

Over 700,000 Sudanese children at risk of worst form of malnutrition— UNICEF

Published

10 months ago

February 11, 2024

According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), tens of thousands of Sudanese children may perish from the worst form of malnutrition, which is expected to affect around 700,000 children this year.

James Elder, spokesperson for UNICEF, told a press conference in Geneva that “the consequences of the past 300 days mean that more than 700,000 children are likely to suffer from the deadliest form of malnutrition this year.”

“UNICEF won’t be able to treat more than 300,000 of those without improved access and without additional support. In that case, tens of thousands would likely die.”

Barely a week ago, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that it was getting reports of famine-related deaths in Sudan and that the number of hungry people had doubled in the previous year due to the cutoff of civilian relief by the conflict.

Millions of people have been displaced both inside and outside of Sudan during the course of a 10-month conflict between the government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has destroyed the nation’s infrastructure and sparked famine warnings.

Severe acute malnutrition, according to Elder, is the most harmful type of malnutrition since it increases a child’s risk of dying from illnesses like cholera and malaria by ten times. According to his projections, 3.5 million youngsters would experience acute malnutrition.

UNICEF provides “ready-to-use therapeutic food,” or RUTF, a life-saving food item that treats severe wasting in children under five years old, to Sudan.

In order to assist the little over 7.5 million children in Sudan, UNICEF is requesting $840 million this year; nevertheless, Elder bemoaned the paucity of money raised in prior appeals.

“Despite the magnitude of needs, last year the funding UNICEF sought for nearly three-quarters of children in Sudan was not forthcoming,” Elder said.

Related Topics:Featured Sudan Sudanese children UNICEF

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Musings From Abroad

Swiss company Mercuria partners Zambia’s IDC in new metals trading firm

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by Swiss commodities trader, Mercuria, on Thursday, it has established a metals trading arm with Zambia, the second-largest producer of copper in Africa.

The trading unit is jointly owned by Mercuria and an arm of Zambia’s Industrial Development Company (IDC), and its purpose is to allow Zambia to engage directly in the minerals trading market.

The joint venture “envisages the establishment of a vehicle to market and trade Zambian copper by mutual leverage,” according to a statement from Cornwell Muleya, the CEO of IDC.

The southern African nation wants to increase copper output to roughly 3 million metric tonnes within the next ten years, and in 2023, it produced roughly 698,000 tonnes of copper, down from 763,000 metric tonnes the year before.

In June, the Zambian government announced that it would establish a minerals trading unit.

Investors including First Quantum Minerals and Barrick Gold are ramping up production, with output set to receive a further boost once Vedanta Resources’ Konkola Copper Mines restart activity.

“Our joint venture with IDC marks a significant milestone for Zambia as it positions itself more strategically in the global minerals market,” Kostas Bintas, Mercuria’s global head of metals and minerals, said in the statement.

Musings From Abroad

Blinken to reveal UN Sudan funding additions

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Additional financing for humanitarian aid to Sudan and initiatives to strengthen civil society in the nation, where a conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, will be announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations on Thursday.

Blinken will make many announcements when he leads a UN Security Council meeting on Sudan on Thursday, which will centre on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, Deputy U.S. Representative to the UN Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

According to Price, the announcements would include more money for humanitarian help, initiatives to strengthen civil society, and the return of democracy.

“Sudan, unfortunately, has risked becoming a forgotten conflict,” Price said.

“So part of the reason the secretary … opted to convene a signature event on this very topic is to make sure it remains in the spotlight,” Price said.

For almost 18 months, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s army have been engaged in combat, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis that has forced over 12 million people from their homes and made it difficult for U.N. organisations to provide aid.

A power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces preceded a planned shift to civilian administration, which sparked the conflict in April 2023.

Although the army declined to join this year’s U.S.-mediated peace negotiations in Geneva, the warring parties did pledge to increase assistance access, which prevented any movement towards a ceasefire.

Price stated that before President Joe Biden’s term ends next month, the United States would keep collaborating with allies to enhance humanitarian access in Sudan and eventually end hostilities.

“We are going to leave nothing on the field in our efforts to work with allies, with partners, with the Sudanese stakeholders themselves, on the issues that matter most – humanitarian access, the provision of humanitarian assistance, ultimately, the process by which we can work to get to a cessation of hostilities, which is most urgently needed,” he said.