Sudan: American aid groups considered for Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sudan — The Sudanese government said Thursday that it would consider applications from American aid organizations to replace more than a dozen groups that were expelled from Darfur earlier this year.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir expelled 13 international aid groups and three local ones in March after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. He accused the organizations of spying for the court — charges they denied.

The Sudanese president’s actions sparked sharp criticism from the international community, including the United States, which expressed concern it would worsen the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

Thursday’s announcement that Sudan will consider American aid organizations as replacements in Darfur was made by Qutbi al-Mahdi, an official in the ruling party who is responsible for non-governmental organizations. It could be an attempt to temper criticism and improve relations with the U.S.

Sudan’s humanitarian aid chief, Hassabu Mohamed Abdel-Rahman, met with a visiting delegation from the U.S. Agency for International Development this week and expressed his appreciation for America’s “tremendous” humanitarian support.

Abdel-Rahman said Wednesday the government would consider any new foreign aid organizations in Darfur that commit themselves “to the principles of humanitarian action, transparency and impartiality, and don’t link humanitarian action with politics.”

But he said Sudan would not reconsider the aid groups that had been expelled.

The Darfur conflict started in 2003 when mostly ethnic African rebels took up arms against the government, complaining of neglect and discrimination. Up to 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million displaced in the conflict, according to U.N. figures. Sudan says the numbers are exaggerated.