China-aided poverty alleviation project launched in Sudan’s Red Sea state

A poverty alleviation and agricultural support project funded by China's Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDSSCF) was initiated earlier this month at the Suakin port in Sudan's Red Sea state.

The Chinese government and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have cooperated through the GDSSCF to provide support to the Red Sea state for the development of the project. By introducing China's mature agricultural technology system, and providing seeds, agricultural machinery and fishing equipment to small and medium-sized households of farmers, fishermen and herders affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan, the project is expected to benefit more than 8,000 households. At the same time, more than 360,000 individuals are expected to benefit from public welfare activities such as animal epidemic prevention and watershed  governance.

The GDSSCF is a special fund established by the Chinese government to support the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and promote the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on supporting development needs of other developing countries in areas such as poverty reduction, food security, public health and climate change adaptation.

Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sudan Zhang Xianghua said that while Sudan is going through a difficult period, the project is still progressing steadily. This is not only a reflection of the resilience of cooperation between China and Sudan, but also a testament to the sincere friendship between the two countries that share weal and woe, he added.

Sudan's Agriculture Minister Abubakar Omar El-Bushra said the assistance from China and the FAO is not merely giving, but sowing seeds of hope, which will eventually grow into towering trees on the coast of the Red Sea. 

FAO representative Ye Anping said the cooperation plan between China and the FAO on this project covers the entire industrial chain from the farming field to the dining table, providing both financing and technical assistance. It will play a crucial role in the sustainable development of agriculture, the improvement of nutritional levels and sustained poverty reduction effects in the region, he noted.