KHARTOUM, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations expressed appreciation on Sunday for the Sudanese government's efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, according to a statement by Sudan's Foreign Ministry.
"Sudan's Foreign Minister on Sunday received a message from the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in which he expressed UN's appreciation for Sudanese government's efforts in easing the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan," said the statement.
The UN secretary general also praised Sudan's efforts in mobilizing the support of national organizations concerned to assist the needy in South Sudan, according to the statement.
He also hailed Sudan for opening humanitarian corridors to deliver humanitarian aid to South Sudan and welcoming the South Sudanese refugees.
Moreover, Guterres urged UN members to muster more funding to support the refugees in Sudan and other countries neighboring South Sudan.
So far, Khartoum has opened three humanitarian corridors to deliver humanitarian aid to South Sudan as international efforts are increasing to lessen the famine in the new-born state.
The first land corridor extends from Sudan's El Obied in North Kordofan to Heglig in South Kordofan, and then to Rubkona town in South Sudan's Unity State and Bentiu in Bahr el Ghazal State which is the area most affected by the famine.
The second corridor extends from Sudan's White Nile State to the northeastern areas of South Sudan, while the third corridor links El Obied in Sudan's North Kordofan with Aweil town in South Sudan's Bahr el Ghazal.
In addition to the land corridors, Khartoum has also promised to open a river corridor linking Kosti town in central Sudan with South Sudanese ports.
South Sudan announced earlier that nearly five million people are at risk of famine which has already hit areas in Unity State and is threatening Bahr el Ghazal State.
The famine is attributed to many reasons including the civil war and collapse of the economy in the new-born state.
