On 11 July, at the main office of Dal Group, in the presence of State Minister of the Federal Ministry of Education, Chairman of Dal Group, Chargé d’affaires of the United States in Khartoum, Director General of Bilateral Relations and Deputy Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United States of America, through USAID, signed with DAL Food an agreement to provide pasteurised milk to 5,308 pupils who suffer from malnutrition in the Red Sea State. This constitutes part of the partnership between the public and private sectors to improve the status of education and nutrition through the distribution of milk.

Dal Food has been supporting the School Milk Programme by providing long-life milk to 17,000 needful pupils in Khartoum State daily since 2011. This programme has now expanded through the new partnership between USAID and Dal Food to cover primary schools in the Red Sea State.

According to a study on nutrition published in 2014, Eastern Sudan recorded the highest rate of malnutrition in all of Sudan. Malnutrition impedes the educational aspirations and achievements of children and can have a lifelong negative impact. The rate of acute malnutrition in the Red Sea State, as measured by the circumference of the mid-upper arm, is 47% which is considerably higher than the threshold of 15% that indicates severe acute malnutrition.

This partnership between USAID and Dal Food is a great example of partnerships between the public and private sectors that aims at assisting communities in need.

In this context, Mr. Sam Bodley-Scott, Head of Strategy at DAL Food stated: “People realised that the role of an active private sector is the most effective motor of sustainable development. I call upon local and international organisations, public and private companies, as well as governments to join in securing additional funding sources for this important programme”.

Dr. Jeffrey Ashley, Director of USAID Sudan (the largest donor of humanitarian aid to Sudan), remarked: “The American people want to address the root causes of poverty and marginalisation, and through such partnerships, we will be more effective if we can jointly leverage resources and skills”.

The American Chargé d’affaires in the US Embassy in Khartoum, Mr. Steven Koutsis stated: “The Government of the United States is committed to continuing to work with those who share with it the same understanding and objectives to eradicate poverty and malnutrition, and to support the economic development in Sudan”. He added: “The spirit of the programme reflects the continued support of the Sudanese people by the American people”.