Sudan - Aid

French aid agency pulls out of Darfur

Article published on the 2009-08-17 Latest update 2009-08-17 14:42 TU

Rebels of the Sudan Liberation Army in North Darfur
(Photo: AFP)

Increasing hardships for aid agencies to operate, including a recent wave of kidnappings in Khartoum, have been blamed for the closure of the Sudan office of French aid group Aide Medicale Internationale (AMI).

Following the death of two Sudanese AMI workers and the kidnapping of two of their foreign aid workers, the organisation has decided to stop operations in Sudan after five years.

Claire Dubois from France and Canadian Stephanie Jodoin were kidnapped in April and held for three weeks before being released.

Kidnappings of foreign aid workers in Sudan increased following the issue of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant in March for Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, who is wanted for war crimes.

The UN estimates 300,000 people have died in the Darfur region since 2003, including many civilians. Sudan says around 10,000 people have died.

AMI joins the Belgian section of Medecin Sans Frontieres (MSF) and Irish agency Goal in its decision to stop operating in the country. Five workers from MSF have been kidnapped and released since March. Two of Goal’s workers still remain in captivity after being kidnapped.

There were no reported abductions of foreign aid workers in Sudan before the ICC warrant for al- Bashir.