THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD CALLED TUESDAY TO HELP SAVE THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FACING STARVATION IN SUDAN, ACCORDING TO DPA. JEAN ZIEGLER EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN OVER CUTS BY THE UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (UNWFP) IN SUPPLIES TO THE COUNTRY. UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS, PARTIES WERE OBLIGED TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO EMERGENCY FOOD SITUATIONS AND IT WAS URGENTLY NEEDED, HE SAID. ZIEGLER'S COMMENTS FOLLOW THE DECISION BY THE UNWFP TO CUT RATIONS FOR MILLIONS OF SUDANESE WHICH THE ORGANISATION BLAMED ON A FUNDING SHORTFALL. DESPITE APPEALS, DONATIONS AMOUNTED TO JUST 238 MILLION DOLLARS OR 32 PER CENT OF THE 746 MILLION DOLLARS NEEDED.
