Port sudan: The Secretariat-General of the National Population Council recently convened with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative to deliberate on resuming cooperation and supporting population programmes in Sudan. The meeting was held at the UNFPA headquarters in Port Sudan.
According to Sudan News Agency, Acting Secretary-General Dr. Buthaina Hussein Mohamed emphasized the necessity of reactivating the Council's role in mitigating the adverse effects of the war on the population, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. She pointed out the loss of the Council's assets and the pivotal importance of fortifying international partnerships for the forthcoming phase of operations.
The UNFPA Country Director reiterated the Council's status as a strategic partner and noted that the Fund's current initiatives are centered on addressing gender-based violence, reducing maternal mortality, analyzing population dynamics, and empowering youth, despite financial limitations that are mainly channeled towards humanitarian efforts.
The Council presented its proposals for 2026, which encompass updating the National Population Policy, producing a State of the Population report, conducting outreach programmes concerning displacement and migration, and fostering collaborations with universities and civil society organizations. The estimated budget for these initiatives is approximately two million dollars.
Both entities concurred on identifying priority programs for implementation within the year and on preparing long-term projects for submission to donors in the upcoming years.