Sudan pledges to ease aid access

By Jonah Fisher
BBC News, Khartoum

Many people in the region say they feel insecure and cut off

The Sudanese government has pledged to ease restrictions on aid workers in its western war-torn region of Darfur.

In an agreement signed with the United Nations, Khartoum promised to accelerate the issuing of visas and travel permits.

Some 13,000 aid workers based in Darfur are feeding more than 2m people in camps, in what is the world's largest aid operation.

Donors have complained that red tape was paralysing the aid effort.

'Too dangerous'

Providing food and shelter to Darfur's war-weary population is dangerous and complex.

The aid operation trucks food over 1,500km (932 miles) inland to Darfur and when it gets there the problems really begin.

After four years of conflict much of Darfur is simply too dangerous for humanitarian agencies to work in.

Large areas are off limits, meaning most food distributions now take place in camps around the major towns.

According to the aid agencies, restrictions placed on their work by the Sudanese government are now at their worst since the early days of the conflict.

Visas are expensive and can take weeks to be issued. A work permit requires proof of university education.

'Fast-track visas'

The agreement signed in Khartoum between Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti and the UN is supposed to solve all these problems.

Visas should now be issued in 15 days and the travel permit system has been simplified.

There is still considerable anger within the Sudanese government about the role aid agencies have played in highlighting Darfur's atrocities.

At the signing ceremony, Mr Karti complained that false accusations were still being made and that the government would not accept anyone who they considered was acting illegally.