East Africa bloc lauds opening of humanitarian corridor for aid in South Sudan

East Africa bloc on Thursday welcomed an announcement by Sudan to open an additional overland humanitarian corridor to deliver food aid to thousands of people suffering from famine struck towns of El-Obeid to Bentiu in central South Sudan.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Executive Secretary Engineer Mahboub Maalim called on South Sudan authorities to provide unfettered access to all relief supplies to reach the famine-stricken areas.

"We commend the government and people of Sudan for hosting their South Sudanese brothers and sisters as refugees, who have so far arrived since the civil war erupted in 2013," Maalim said in a statement.

He said the corridor that is in addition to the one between Kosti and Renk, which the governments of Sudan and South Sudan opened in 2014, will be used to deliver aid to the famine-stricken populations.

According to Maalim, this is a clear demonstration of Khartoum's "commitment" to save lives of South Sudanese affected by ravaging drought and war.

Famine was recently declared in Mayendit, a village in South Sudan's Unity state, the latest crisis in the country's three-year civil war.

About 100,000 people are said to be at risk, and aid groups are pleading for access.

According to a UN report at least 7.5 million people across South Sudan, two thirds of them need humanitarian assistance.

"We urge the government and the people of South Sudan to support and provide all the assistance required by the humanitarian agencies to access the people in dire need of food and relief so that the lives of our people can be saved," said Maalim.

He reassured the two neighboring countries and the region of its commitment and support for crossborder and regional cooperation, peace and prosperity. Endit