FROM:     INTERNET:Margaret.Nduati@unicef.unon.org, 
DATE:     5/18/98 6:18 AM

PRESS RELEASE
 
United Nations Assessment Mission to Nuba Mountains

Khartoum and Nairobi 13 May 1998.   The United Nations today
warmly  welcomed the announcement from the Government of Sudan
that it would,  for the first time, grant access to rebel-held areas of the
Nuba  Mountains next week so that an assessment of humanitarian
needs in the  area can be made.

The announcement was made during the visit of the Netherlands
Minister  for Development Cooperation, H.E. Jan P. Pronk and
followed  interventions made by the United Nations Secretary-General,
Kofi Annan,  on a stopover in Khartoum on 9 May, and by high level
representatives  from the United Nations Office of the Coordination for
Humanitarian  Affairs earlier this month.

The announcement comes after repeated attempts by the United
Nations  over the last ten years to gain access to one of the most
forgotten,  destitute populations in Sudan.

The first assessment mission to the Nuba Mountains is scheduled to 
take place from next week and will be conducted by a United Nations 
team from Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS).  The team will assess the 
food, health and other needs of populations in rebel-held areas of the 
Nuba Mountains.  OLS is also planning assessment missions in 
Government areas of the Nuba throughout the next month.

The United Nations is hopeful that once the needs of the Nuba people 
have been assessed, agreement can be reached quickly on delivering 
relief to these areas.

The United Nations also welcomed the announcement of the
Government of  Sudan that it will make available to the World Food
Programme in  Khartoum with 2,000 Mts of grain for delivery from Al
Obeid in  northern Sudan to populations in urgent need in Bahr Al
Ghazal.


For Further Information:
Khartoum:   Trudi Witbreuk  249 11 783757 
Nairobi:    Gillian Wilcox  OLS 254-2-622403
                 Brenda Barton   WFP 254-2-622594