Despite serious peace efforts, things are going from bad to worse in Sudan’s Darfur region. The recently held donor conference in support of war-hit Darfur region is a step in right direction. The conference raised $ 3.6 billion in pledges to finance the development of war-ravaged Darfur in west Sudan.
The event host, Qatar, contributed $ 500 million to the fund. The ongoing war in the region has only added to the miseries of people, displacing thousands of poor people for lack of food and safety. Despite oil reserves in the region, several years of war has claimed thousands of innocent lives and people are still living in refugee camps without basic necessities of life.
Poor people are finding it hard to put food on the table for their dependants. Death resulting from hunger has become quite a commonplace in the region.
At the time when the world economy is reeling from recession, this aid package can bring about drastic changes in lives of thousands of poor people in Darfur. However, it needs to be ensured that this aid reaches the right people and there is a proper check and balance system in place to avoid any misuse and corruption. — Khwaja Umer Farooq, Jeddah
Darfur crisis
