Concern plans response on Sudan/Chad border as non-Sudanese staff evacuated

The 10 staff (including one Irish citizen) left by boat from Port Sudan this afternoon and will be brought to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A further 140 Sudanese staff remain in the country and are currently safe.  Some are sheltering in their homes while others have moved to safer areas.  Concern is providing security advice and keeping daily contact with them.

“While the hostilities have forced us to evacuate staff and suspend our work for the time being, we are planning to mobilise our teams in Sudan and neighbouring Chad to assist thousands of people crossing the border to escape the fighting,” Concern CEO David Regan said.

More than 20,000 people have crossed into Chad in the last fortnight and the UNHCR estimates that a further 100,000 could follow in the coming days.

“The majority of those fleeing are women and children,” Mr Regan said.  “They are arriving with just the clothes on their backs and whatever they can carry.  They urgently need food, water, shelter and sanitation.  Our teams on both sides of border are drawing up plans to respond.”

“Although the security situation on the ground is very challenging, Concern has worked with communities in Sudan for the last 37 years and we will do everything we can to help avert a humanitarian crisis,” he said.

The Irish-based humanitarian organisation is also exploring all options to support programmes which have been temporarily suspended because of fighting. Concern’s programmes include health, nutrition, water and sanitation, livelihoods and food security.  Concern is working in West Darfur, West Kordofan and South Kordofan.

For media queries contact Eamon Timmins, Media Relations Manager, Concern Worldwide, at eamon.timmins@concern.net or  087 9880524.