Turkish agencies distribute food aid to vulnerable families in South Sudan

By Benjamin Takpiny

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - Türkiye's disaster management authority in coordination with state aid agency TIKA donated relief food Tuesday to 500 South Sudanese families in Juba who recently fled the conflict in neighboring Sudan.

“We have coordinated with the relevant Turkish authorities, including the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, to provide food to Chollo returnees in Juba. Today, we supported 500 families living in this area,” said Erdem Mutaf, the Turkish ambassador, during the donation ceremony held in Juba.

Mutaf said that in due course they will continue their humanitarian aid to other communities across the country.

“Up till now, we have mobilized our resources to help communities in Central, Eastern, and Western Equatoria, and in Jonglei, Greater Bahra-el-Ghazal, Unity, and Upper Nile at different occasions. This support is a symbol of the Turkish nation's sympathy and love to South Sudanese,” he said.

Livestock and Fisheries Minister Onyoti Adigo Nyikec appreciated the Turkish people and their government for the support to the people of Chollo Kingdom.

“They are really vulnerable people, they came from Sudan and they were really suffering, but with the help of Türkiye I think these people will be able to have something to eat. It will not be far, as he mentioned, the relationship between the Kingdom of Chollo and Türkiye goes back to 1680’s,” Adigo said.

Bernaba Isaac Aban Twinyal, the chief of the people of Chollo Kingdom in greater Gudele suburb of Juba, welcomed the support and appealed for more. He said that the people who came from Sudan did not have anything to eat since they arrived in Juba.

Aban noted that the returnees lack land to cultivate their own food. “Our people coming from the Sudan are very vulnerable; they need food and other non-food items, as you know, we are in a difficult economy in South Sudan, and these people are not engaged in any agriculture activity since there is no place for them to cultivate here,” he said.