South Sudan is plunging deeper into a humanitarian nightmare as conflict intensifies and hunger reaches unprecedented levels, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.
The crisis is hitting just as the country enters its annual lean season, a period when food shortages traditionally peak, leaving nearly 7.7 million people, over half the population, struggling to survive on little or no food.
“Right now we are seriously at a critical tipping point. Nearly 7.7 million people, that's over a half of the population, already facing crisis, emergency, or catastrophic levels of hunger here in South Sudan,” said Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP Country Director for South Sudan.
“The conflict and violence are driving communities from their homes and some other most toughest most vulnerable food insecure areas of South Sudan. This is happening as we are entering the annual lean season. It's the time of year when hunger reaches its peak,” she added
The Greater Upper Nile region, especially Upper Nile state, is now the epicenter of the crisis. With over one million people in that area facing acute hunger and violence escalating by the day, the region is bearing the brunt of displacement, disease, and hunger.
WFP notes that 3.1 million people in this region are already facing crisis or worse food insecurity levels, with returnees from the ongoing Sudan war making up a significant share.
Despite having 9,000 metric tons of food pre-positioned, enough to feed one million people for a month, WFP is struggling to access communities due to increased fighting along key supply routes, especially rivers.
To make matters worse, a cholera outbreak is sweeping through Upper Nile state. WFP, through its Logistics Cluster, has already airlifted 35 metric tons of cholera and WASH supplies, with more aid waiting to be delivered when it is safe to do so.
Operations in six counties have been temporarily suspended due to active conflict, putting countless lives at further risk.
McGroarty issued a stark warning about the trajectory of the crisis, “This is among the worst levels of food insecurity that we have ever seen in the country and particularly since independence.
40% of these people are in the Greater Upper Nile region, which is now impacted by the escalating conflict. And over 60% of the population in the Greater Upper Nile region are food insecure. They cannot secure a meal a day for the family.”
With a staggering US$396 million funding gap for 2025, WFP’s ability to scale up emergency assistance hangs in the balance as South Sudan teeters on the edge of collapse.