Sudan aid crisis: Oxfam GB pulls back international staff to Khartoum while it appeals decision to revoke registration

Oxfam International's British affiliate - Oxfam GB - is appealing the Sudanese government's decision made on March 4 to revoke its registration to work in the north of the country. Ten international aid agencies have had their registrations revoked. Other Oxfam affiliates from the US, the Netherlands and Canada are continuing to work on their development and aid programs in northern Sudan. Meanwhile, aid agency programs including those run by Oxfam affiliates are continuing in southern Sudan.

Oxfam GB has begun to temporarily relocate international staff to Khartoum and national staff to state capitals in Darfur while it appeals the Sudan government's decision to revoke its registration to work in that country. The agency has had to hand over its laptops and communications equipment to the government.

Oxfam GB estimates that its supply of clean water and other programs can continue to be run by local communities and Oxfam-trained volunteers for a number of weeks but if its appeal to the government fails then its program will have to close.

The Oxfam GB emergency program in Sudan is its biggest in the world. It began in 1983 and currently has 450 staff, 90% of whom are Sudanese. If Oxfam GB's registration is finally revoked, it will affect more than 600,000 Sudanese people who are dependent daily on vital humanitarian and development aid, including clean water and sanitation.

Oxfam is an independent, impartial non-governmental organization and has no links to the International Criminal Court. Oxfam does not have an opinion on the Court's activities, and our sole focus is meeting humanitarian and development needs in Sudan.