Caritas says that poverty and suffering in Sudan’s Darfur region and in south Sudan are at such high levels there is a permanent humanitarian crisis there.

Catholic Church leaders from Sudan, Caritas members providing support to the vulnerable on the ground, and donors meet 22-23 at Caritas Internationalis Headquarters in the Vatican to discuss how to improve a coordinated humanitarian response.

Insecurity both in Darfur and increasingly so in south Sudan risks further destabilizing the region and creating greater levels of suffering, the aid agency warns.

Attending the Caritas meeting next week include Bishop Vincent Mojwok, Chairman of SUDANAID (Caritas Sudan), Archbishop Paolino Lukudu Loro of Juba, Bishop Eduardo Kussala of Tombura Yambio, H. L. Bishop Antonio Menegazzo of El Obeid (covering Darfur) and Rt. Rev. Daniel Adwok Marco Kur, Auxiliary Bishop of Khartoum.

Bishop Eduardo Kussala of Tombura Yambio said, “Sudan faces a lot of challenges. There is an ongoing humanitarian crisis. People don’t have access to healthcare, education, water and protection from high levels of violence.

“Caritas and the Church are the only sources of education, health and social services in many places. The Sudan Partnership Forum meeting aims to create a common strategy for Caritas members and its Church partners so that we deliver aid in the most effective way.”

Malnutrition is at 16 percent in south Sudan. Nine out of ten people in south Sudan live on less than $1 a day. In 2007, south Sudan had the highest maternal mortality rate in the world - with 2,030 women dying per 100,000 births.

A shaky peace holds in the south and half of the 4 million refugees who fled decades of fighting have returned to their homes. However, the number of killings is now believed to have overtaken Darfur.

In Darfur in the west of Sudan, 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million uprooted in the ongoing conflict. The humanitarian situation in Darfur is also worsening with 290,000 people fleeing their homes during the first 9 months of 2008.

Caritas in Sudan works in emergency aid, social welfare and development. Caritas continues to operate in Darfur, providing 297,000 people with food, shelter, clean water, healthcare, support for livelihoods, counseling, peace-building activities and education.

For more information, please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 334 359 0700 or nicholson@caritas.va