Sudan, which has been accused of hindering aid in war-ravaged Darfur, signed an agreement with the United Nations on Wednesday to boost humanitarian work in the western region.
Under the agreement, the Khartoum government would take ”fast-track” measures to give better access to aid groups, including speeding up visas for humanitarian workers.
”New or outstanding applications for all required visas and permits will be granted until January 2008 and will be issued within 15 days of application,” a joint statement said.
The agreement came after new UN humanitarian chief John Holmes took his first tour of Darfur and asked Sudanese officials to give aid groups greater access to victims of the conflict.
Experts estimate that 200 000 people have been killed and 2,5-million have fled their homes since the conflict flared in 2003 when rebel groups took up arms against the government, accusing it of neglect. Khartoum says only 9 000 people have died.
Holmes had said the world’s biggest humanitarian operation in Darfur could collapse if the situation kept deteriorating. — Reuters