Officials from Sudan’s Peace Government and Japan have discussed expanding humanitarian and development cooperation, including a proposed framework covering agriculture, food security and the restoration of basic services.
Ezzeldin Al-Safi, head of the National Humanitarian Access Authority, met Japan’s chargé d’affaires in Sudan, Takahara Takunobu, for talks on issues of mutual interest, according to Sudanese newspaper Al-Sayha.
Al-Safi welcomed Japanese assistance provided to Sudanese affected by the war through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA, and said the Peace Government remained committed to facilitating humanitarian access in areas under its administration.
During the meeting, Al-Safi handed the Japanese diplomat a draft memorandum of cooperation between the transitional Peace Government and JICA.
The proposed agreement seeks to strengthen cooperation in agriculture and food security, restore essential services, support modern irrigation and water-harvesting systems, and improve environmental sanitation.
Al-Safi said the administration had helped coordinate humanitarian assistance for more than 21 million Sudanese through over 170 international and national organisations and United Nations agencies during the past eight months. The figure was reported by Al-Sayha and was not independently verified.
Takahara, meanwhile, called for an unconditional humanitarian truce and for the removal of restrictions obstructing the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Both sides agreed to continue contacts and coordination aimed at strengthening humanitarian security in Sudan.
