Refugees who escaped from Wad Madani, the second largest city in Sudan, North Africa [Image source=Yonhap News]
South Korea has decided to provide $12 million (approximately 16.776 billion KRW) in humanitarian aid to Sudan, a North African country experiencing civil war for the past year, and its neighboring countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 16th that it attended the "International Conference on Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan and Neighboring Countries" held in Paris, France on the 15th, where it pledged the South Korean government's humanitarian aid commitment to respond to the Sudan crisis.
The conference was co-hosted by France, Germany, and the European Union (EU), and was attended by ministers and representatives from 58 countries, as well as representatives from international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Choi Jae-cheol, the Ambassador to France who attended the conference, expressed concern over the numerous casualties caused by armed conflict in Sudan and the worsening humanitarian situation.
He also announced that the South Korean government plans to provide a total of $12 million in aid to Sudan and neighboring countries this year to improve the humanitarian situation.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), more than 8.6 million internally displaced persons and refugees have been estimated to have arisen due to the armed conflict in Sudan since April last year.
The countries attending the conference pledged a total of $2.13 billion in humanitarian aid.
They emphasized that the Sudan crisis should not become a "forgotten crisis," urging the international community to maintain interest and continue support, ensuring unhindered humanitarian access and calling for a peaceful resolution to the situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "As a responsible member of the international community and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2024-2025, our government will continue to participate in international efforts to assist countries suffering from ongoing humanitarian crises."
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