World Food Program says more food needed to avert summer famine in Sudan

Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said Monday that southern Sudan is at risk for a repeat of last year's famine.

Bertini called for full funding of the World Food Program, which she said had received just over half of what it needs for the year. She said that the WFP is still trying to raise about 55,000 of a total 124,000 metric tons of food needed to help Sudan through the end of this year. Current food supplies will only last until June, she added.

Beans, oil, and other commodities are still needed, she said, as the United States, the only contributor so far, had given wheat.

She also said her agency is hoping for a continuation of the cease fire in Bahr al-Ghazal province so that WFP staff can bring food to areas at risk of starvation by truck, rather than through air drops, which are more expensive. The WFP is currently operating 14 cargo aircraft.

Bertini told reporters that a WFP monitoring program was able to a high degree to assure that food was actually reaching those who are in need.