The Chinese government on Monday donated over 1,250 tons of rice to South Sudan to help curb the biting effects of hunger in the war-torn country.
The donation handed over to South Sudan by the Chinese embassy in Juba is part of a pledge of 8,800 tons of rice.
Zhang Yi, Economic and Commercial Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, while delivering the rice said a total of 2,750 tons have already been handed over to the South Sudanese government and another consignment of 1,500 tons have already reached neighboring Kenya, with the remaining batches expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Zhang said China will continue, within its capacity to provide strong support to South Sudan in humanitarian aid, state building and social-economic development.
Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRS) Martha Nyamal thanked the Chinese government for the aid meant for the vulnerable people of South Sudan.
She pledged that the RRC would make efficient and effective distribution of the Rice in all the 32 states to benefit the most vulnerable people.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed because in the past four years, the Chinese government and people have been standing with the people of South Sudan. In fact they are our brothers from another mother. So we appreciate the level of cooperation between our two countries,” Nyawal said.
South Sudan has been dogged by war since December 2013 following President Salva Kiir’s accusations that his then-deputy Riek Machar was plotting a coup against his government. Machar denied the allegations but then went on to mobilize a rebel force to fight the government.
The war has killed thousands and forced millions to flee their homes, prompting the United Nations earlier this year to rank the country as Africa’s biggest refugee crisis, and third worldwide after Syria and Afghanistan.
The international community has been piling pressure of the players in the country to engage in dialogue to end the crisis.
The government earlier this year said it was willing to hold talks with Machar who is currently holed up in South Africa, but said he had to renounce violence first.
