Nairobi, Oct 27: The Sudan government and southern rebels have reached an agreement with the United Nations on allowing unimpeded access by humanitarian agencies to help hundreds of thousands of people in the war-torn country, a UN statement said today. "This is a unique opportunity to reach people and look after their needs as never before", the statement said, quoting Ronald Sibanda of UN Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS).
Sibanda chaired talks with the Khartoum government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) that led to the signing of the accord here yesterday.
The agreement will take effect Friday and run until December 31, the dates agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two sides in Machakos, Kenya, on October 15, the statement said.
"The atmosphere was very positive. Our challenge now will be to ensure that we have the resources.

"In the whole history of OLS, we have never had unfettered access. Some places we know are facing dire conditions, and we can expect the demands to be extraordinary," Sibanda said.
The agreement will have immediate implications for UN humanitarian agencies and 41 other aid organisations working under the OLS umbrella. Bureau Report