UN Warns 7.2M in South Sudan Facing Urgent Food Crisis
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) called the conditions “alarming,” stating it is in a “tight race against time” to expand its humanitarian response and prevent a deeper catastrophe.
Mutinta Chimuka, WFP’s country director for South Sudan, said: “We are talking about 7.2 million people who are in urgent need of food assistance,” adding that the crisis requires immediate action to save lives, according to a video briefing from Bor in Jonglei state.
She described the situation as “critical,” noting that many communities are facing extreme levels of deprivation.
According to reports, UN humanitarian officials have previously warned that South Sudan risks sliding into “full-scale famine and collapse” amid worsening instability.
The country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has struggled with ongoing conflict, economic hardship, and political instability, following a civil war that erupted shortly after independence.
A fragile 2018 power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar has been deteriorating, with renewed clashes in recent months raising fears of a broader conflict resurgence.
The WFP said it has intensified emergency operations in Jonglei state, particularly in Akobo, an area heavily affected by recent fighting.
According to reports, hundreds of thousands of people in Jonglei are now experiencing “catastrophic hunger and malnutrition,” with around 12,000 individuals classified in the most severe phase of food insecurity.
Chimuka also warned of a sharp increase in acute malnutrition, particularly among children under five and breastfeeding mothers.
The WFP stated that since launching an emergency response in Akobo three weeks ago, it has reached more than 60,000 people with food assistance.
It also reported that 15,000 children have been screened for malnutrition, with about 3,000 admitted for treatment of moderate acute cases.
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