Greater global cooperation is needed as conflicts escalate across the continent, Tom Fletcher has said

Russian food aid to Africa is arriving at a critical moment, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said. 

Speaking to TASS on Thursday, Tom Fletcher emphasized that Russian assistance is particularly crucial in regions at risk of starvation, describing it as both "extremely important" and "very timely."  

"It is a sign of the Russian government's generosity and willingness to participate in such programs," he added. 

At the same time, Fletcher noted that growing needs across Africa mean much more remains to be done. He recounted his recent visit to Sudan, including the conflict-ravaged region of Darfur, where he met people who he said were "quite literally on the brink of starvation." He called for enhanced cooperation among international agencies and urged greater collective generosity to meet urgent needs on the ground.

Fletcher met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday to discuss a number of issues, including "the functioning of OCHA and the United Nations' global humanitarian response system," the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

The same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held talks with Ramtane Lamamra, the UN secretary-general's personal envoy for Sudan. According to the ministry's press service, the two officials reviewed ways to de-escalate the prolonged armed conflict in the country and emphasized the need for an urgent ceasefire.

An armed group attacked a convoy jointly operated by the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF near Al Fashir in North Darfur on Monday evening. At least five Sudanese contractors employed by UN agencies were killed, while several others sustained injuries. Multiple trucks were torched, and vital humanitarian supplies were damaged.

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Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by fierce fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), with both factions vying for control amid a stalled transition to civilian rule. According to Reuters, citing the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 4 million people have fled Sudan since the outbreak of the war.