Agreement reached on humanitarian operations

The government and rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) last week confirmed their commitment to a humanitarian ceasefire in Bahr el-Ghazal at a meeting of the Technical Committee on Humanitarian Assistance in Oslo, Norway. Both parties reaffirmed their ceasefires pending the outcome of peace talks mediated by the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), as well as to protocols concerning security and minimum operational standards for rail and cross-line road corridors under Operation Lifeline Sudan. In particular, a detailed agreement on modalities for implementing the Babanusa-Wau rail corridor was reached, as was a model implementation plan for cross-line road corridors, according to a communique received by IRIN. The Lokichoggio-Kapoeta corridor was secured and six other road corridors identified. In the wake of last month’s attack on a WFP food barge, both delegations committed themselves to “taking all necessary measures to guarantee the safety and security of OLS personnel and property in all geographical areas under their respective control”. The UN, in turn, agreed to review its suspension of food aid shipments along the barge corridor.