Federal Foreign Office increases humanitarian aid for South Sudan

BERLIN, Germany, January 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Federal Foreign Office has provided Welthungerhilfe with an initial 495,000 euros to supply humanitarian aid to people in South Sudan driven from their homes by the current fighting in the country.

In this connection Foreign Minister Steinmeier commented today (6 January) as follows:

Given the delaying tactics right now in Addis Ababa, it looks as if neither side is really interested in a quick political solution to the conflict. This means both Africa and the international community will have to increase the pressure. At the very least, both sides must guarantee unhindered humanitarian access to the areas under their control.

In view of the critical security situation, aid workers trying to organise and deliver relief on the ground face a difficult and dangerous task. The international humanitarian relief effort can be stepped up as soon as there is safe and reliable access to the refugees. Recent weeks have seen a big rise in the number of internally displaced persons