A convoy of trucks carrying food for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have arrived in Upper Nile State of South Sudan from Kosti in Sudan.

This is the first convoy of a cross-border operation that WFP says will deliver a total of 4,650 metric tons of food by barge and by truck to feed around 275,000 people for one month in northern parts of South Sudan.

“Eighteen trucks transporting 700 metric tons of food, enough to feed about 45,000 people for one month, have arrived in Upper Nile state from Kosti,” reads a WFP press release.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer stated that 200 metric tons will go to people in Renk and 500 metric tons will go to people in Melut.

WFP South Sudan Country Director Joyce Luma said, “Reopening this humanitarian corridor from Sudan will help reduce our heavy reliance on costly air operations to provide assistance in conflict affected areas of South Sudan.”

“This will allow WFP and partners to reach more vulnerable people with the urgent food assistance that they need,” she said.

WFP photo