December 15, 2006

Hopes that the signing of a Darfur peace agreement in May 2006 would help settle one of the world's worst continuing humanitarian crises have been dashed. In fact, the humanitarian environment in Darfur has deteriorated steadily.

Further violence has lead to new displacements. The United Nations now estimates that the three-year crisis has resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, while more than 2 million driven from their homes to live in camps. In all, more than 3 million have been directly affected by the conflict. (Between July and the end of September alone the UN reported 125,000 newly displaced people and at the beginning of October just 64 percent of the affected population was judged 'accessible' by the UN - the lowest access rate for humanitarian assistance since April 2004.)

Violence from Darfur has spread across the border into Chad and risks that a regional conflict will break out remain high. Given this extremely difficult situation, it has become even more important for Church World Service, its denominational supporters and others of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) network to sustain a humanitarian operation in response to needs of a particularly vulnerable people as we enter the year 2007.

CWS RESPONSE: Since July 2004, Church World Service has supported the work of its long-time partners and Action by Churches Together (ACT) members Sudan Council of Churches (SCC), Sudan Social-Development Organization (SUDO), and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), in cooperation with Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of Catholic relief, development and social service organizations. Together this joint ecumenical operation combines the efforts of more than 60 organizations in responding to the needs in Darfur.

By combining the financial resources from 60 donor member organisations, and by harnessing human resources and advocacy activities under a single management structure, the ACT/Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) program has become one of the largest humanitarian programs in South and West Darfur and has proven its capacity to deliver services over a long period in this challenging area.

This year, the CWS-supported Darfur emergency response program achieved a great deal. It continued to deliver essential services to 325,000 people; it also underwent a strategic planning process which has set the main policies for the period 2006-10 - including the development of capacity of national partners to eventually manage the DERO in coming years.

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Media Contacts: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin (24/7), 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net

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