Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 29, 2007

Agreement Allows More Aid Workers Access to Darfur
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16D8480:A6F02AD83191E1602CA8B8A0E87CB80C9574F7DCC14957C0 Aid workers had
complained they had to undergo lengthy procedures to obtain visas and
permits to work in Darfur Sudan and the United Nations have signed an
agreement to facilitate the travel of humanitarian workers into the
war-torn Darfur region. Aid workers had complained they had to undergo
lengthy procedures to obtain visas and permits to work in Darfur. Noel
King is in Khartoum and has this report for VOA.



Sudan's acting foreign minister Ali Karti and U.N. humanitarian
coordinator Manuel Aranda da Silva signed the agreement this week,
which promises to "fast track" visa procedures and travel permits for
international aid workers.



In the past, foreign aid workers complained that bureaucratic
procedures brought aid access to a standstill.



Some aid workers were stranded in the Sudanese capital Khartoum for
months before being granted travel permits.



Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali Al-Sadiq told VOA that the agreement
was formed with the input of humanitarian workers.



"It has never been the intention of the government to block
humanitarian activities. Based on this communiqué, all the concerns of
the U.N. agencies and NGOs are going to be addressed," he said. "I do
not think we are going to hear so many complaints."



A committee comprised of representatives from Sudan, the United
Nations and local and international non-governmental organizations
will ensure that the agreement is properly implemented.









A displaced Sudanese woman carries her sons in the Otach Displaced
Persons camp in the city of Nyala in Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region
(File)A massive humanitarian effort is sustaining four million people
in Darfur and eastern Chad.



Around 13,000 humanitarian workers are in the region, where experts
estimate 200,000 people have died during the course of the conflict.



Late last year a series of violent attacks on humanitarian residences
by unknown assailants caused a large-scale withdrawal of aid workers
across the region.



Sudan has come under intense pressure to allow the United Nations to
send peacekeepers into Darfur.



At the Arab Summit in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, on
Wednesday Sudanese President Omer Al Bashir again said Sudan will only
allow the United Nations to provide logistical and financial support
to the struggling African Union mission.


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