The United Nations(UN) and its partners today called for three billion dollar to help millions of people in the country and hundreds of thousands fleeing to neighboring countries, a joint press release issued by UNHCR/OCHA said.

As the death toll mounts, humanitarian needs soar, and displacement grows, the UN is launching two response plans to provide food, health care, shelter, protection and other critical assistance, the joint press release stated.

The Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan has been revised due to the soaring needs spurred by the current crisis. It now requires 2.56 billion USD, an increase of 800 million USD from just a few months ago, to help 18 million people until the end of this year, making it the largest appeal ever issued for Sudan.

The Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan seeks 470.4 million USD to support refugees, returnees and host communities in the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

According to the press release, the funds are intended to help over one million people, including refugees, returnees and third country nationals.

“This conflict is a cruel blow for the people of Sudan, already staggering under the weight of a desperate humanitarian situation. The desire, willingness and impatience of humanitarian agencies to deliver remains as strong as ever,” it quoted Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths as saying.

The press release also quoted the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi as saying: “More than a month into this crisis, countless people remain terrified inside Sudan, and those who have fled across the country’s many borders are in need of help, often finding themselves in places where access is extremely hard and resources strained. Humanitarians are working hard to respond but we need – once again – to call on countries and individuals with the means, to step up and provide the resources so we can help people who have lost everything.”

The most recent fighting has already displaced more than 840,000 people inside Sudan, it said adding over 220,000 refugees and refugee returnees have fled the country, it added.

The revised Humanitarian Response Plan will focus on swiftly ramping up food and water and sanitation and other lifesaving assistance. It will also increase its focus on protection, including the protection of children and the prevention of gender-based violence.

The Refugee Response Plan will help host countries to coordinate the response with a “whole-of-society” approach in support of host governments and communities. It outlines the multisector strategy and financial requirements of 140 partners to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to those who have been forced to flee across borders.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency