Powell promises Sudan aid

The spectre of famine once again hangs over Sudan

US Secretary of State Colin Powell has pledged 40,000 tonnes of emergency food to Sudan to try to help prevent a famine.

Speaking in Kenya on the latest leg of his Africa tour, Mr Powell urged the Sudanese Government to provide access to all those in need.

He described the situation in parts of Sudan as desperate, with people on the verge of starvation.

He made it clear that urgent steps were needed to avert a famine in a country torn by almost two decades of civil war.

Deteriorating

"I call on the government of Sudan to do everything possible to provide access to these people desperately in need and to remove all barriers to providing them with humanitarian aid," he said.

The head of the American agency for international development, Andrew Natsios, gave more details after emerging from talks in Nairobi with aid agencies working in Sudan.

"Things are deteriorating fairly rapidly in the north," he said.

"There are no food stocks left in both sides of the conflict, in the drought-affected areas. We do not believe people will make it until the fall and so we have announced today an additional 40,000 tonnes of food that will be distributed regardless of need on both sides of the conflict."

The US has been strongly critical of the Sudanese Government's bombing campaigns in the south of the country.

'Stop bombing'

Colin Powell said he wanted to help both sides to achieve a ceasefire and added that he would be watching the government's actions closely.

"Recently in the last few days, they have announced new cessation of bombing. I think this is a good step, but it can't just be for a short period of time.

"They ought to stop bombing humanitarian sites altogether, so we will measure their behaviour, we'll measure their response to our actions and see whether or not we have a basis for moving forward." Heavy fighting has been reported in Sudan in recent weeks, with both sides apparently seeking to gain a military advantage before any new negotiations and before the annual rains turn the frontlines into a swamp.

Mr Powell has outlined a policy of continued engagement with Africa.

Moi will was urged to ensure a democratic transition

While praising many African leaders, Mr Powell issued unusually direct criticism of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, a neighbour of South Africa.

And he has urged urged the Kenyan Government to reform the economy and stamp out corruption.

He said the US was also looking forward to the will of the people being respected during next year's Kenyan presidential election.

President Moi is due to stand down under the current constitution, after more than two decades in power, although he refused to say on Saturday if he would stand aside.