STORY: UN humanitarian chief meets Sudan's Al-Burhan to address aid crisis
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 25, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 26, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:44
LOCATION: PORT SUDAN, Sudan
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the meeting
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): OMAR ISSA, Sudan's acting foreign affairs undersecretary
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): TOM FLETCHER, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs

STORYLINE:

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher met with Sudan's military leadership on Monday to discuss critical aid delivery amid the country's ongoing conflict, officials said.
   
Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan urged authorities to collaborate with UN agencies to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those in need, according to an official statement.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): OMAR ISSA, Sudan's acting foreign affairs undersecretary
"The president clearly instructed the concerned authorities to cooperate with the United Nations and its different agencies in Sudan. He expressed full satisfaction with the standing cooperation between the two sides and urged the United Nations and its agencies to exert further efforts to deliver the aid to the needy."

The meeting, held in Port Sudan, focused on strategies to address the humanitarian crisis triggered by fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since mid-April 2023.

Fletcher emphasized the importance of strengthening UN-Sudan partnerships to overcome aid distribution challenges. 
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): TOM FLETCHER, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs
"I came first to Sudan to see for myself the situation on the ground, to visit our teams to learn from them, to spend time with the people of Sudan to hear from them what support they need. And they have given us a very clear message that we should go back and seek more support from donors, more international recognition of the challenges that are faced by the Sudanese people and I will take that message back."

The conflict has devastated Sudan, with over 27,120 deaths and more than 14 million people displaced, according to tracking organizations.
   
Fletcher arrived in Port Sudan on Saturday for his first humanitarian mission as the newly-appointed Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. He assumed the role on Nov. 18.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Port Sudan, Sudan.
(XHTV)