Juba: South Sudan’s dramatic hunger crisis is worsening and millions of people there could miss out on food aid because of the global humanitarian funding crisis, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the UN agency began airdropping emergency food assistance in Upper Nile state after surging conflict forced families from their homes and pushed communities to the brink of famine.
According to United Nations, nationwide, the picture is just as alarming, with half the country’s population – more than 7.7 million people – officially classified as food insecure by UN partner the IPC platform. This includes more than 83,000 facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. The humanitarian emergency crisis has been exacerbated by the war in neighbouring Sudan. Since April 2023, nearly 1.2 million people have crossed the border into South Sudan, many of them hungry, traumatised, and without support. WFP said 2.3 million children across the country are now at risk of malnutrition.
Despite these challenges, the UN agency has delivered emergency food aid to more than two million people this year. In Uror county, Jonglei state, where access has been consistent, all known pockets of catastrophic hunger have been eliminated. Additionally, 10 counties where conflict has eased have seen improved harvests and better food security as people were able to return to their land.
To reach those in the hardest-hit and most remote areas, WFP has carried out airdrops delivering 430 metric tonnes of food to 40,000 people in Greater Upper Nile. River convoys have resumed as the most efficient way to transport aid in a country with limited infrastructure. These included a 16 July shipment of 1,380 metric tonnes of food and relief supplies. WFP’s humanitarian air service also continues flights to seven Upper Nile destinations.
At the same time, a cholera outbreak in Upper Nile has placed additional pressure on the humanitarian response. Since March, WFP’s logistics cluster has airlifted 109 metric tonnes of cholera-related supplies to affected areas in Upper Nile and Unity states. However, the UN agency said it can currently support only 2.5 million people and often with just half-rations. Without an urgent injection of $274 million, deeper cuts to aid will begin as soon as September. WFP has the tools and capacity to deliver, said Mr. Skau. But, without funding and without peace, our hands are tied.