Fighting erupted in Sudan in the middle of April, resulting in many people fleeing to surrounding nations. Since then, MAF International and the MAF Disaster Response team have been monitoring the situation and looking into options for supporting what has become a significant humanitarian event.
In June 2023, MAF's Disaster Response team launched relief flights from its base in Juba, South Sudan, to the remote northern destination of Renk, where the refugee crisis is escalating.
South Sudan is facing a slow-onset disaster as the situation in Sudan forces more people to flee.
Global Disaster Response Director, Vaughan Woodward, said MAF's response would focus on:
- assessment and surveys of need to gather information allowing targeting of aid and relief to the affected areas
- providing an air-bridge for support personnel and relief goods to meet the humanitarian needs of the displaced people
- the relocation of vulnerable displaced persons as advised or requested by the Red Cross, UN agencies or other relevant NGOs.
"South Sudan is facing a slow-onset disaster as the situation in Sudan forces more people to flee. This disaster response operation enables MAF to devote more resources and personnel to help meet the needs on the ground, working with NGOs to fly in supplies and fly out the most vulnerable," says Vaughan Woodward.
"The South Sudan team have been working with their partner NGOs to assess the needs in this crisis and with MAF Disaster Response, have prepared a response that makes good use of our aircraft and the skills of the MAF team," Vaughan added. "The scale of the crisis is large, but there is opportunity for MAF to have an impact in meeting some of the needs."
Please pray for the situation in Sudan and for the team responding.