U.S to announce $223 million in food aid to South Sudan

JUBA – The United States of America will on Wednesday announce at least $223 million in food aid to the people of South Sudan through the World Food Programme (WFP), according to the US embassy in Juba.

The US embassy said it will organize a press conference on Wednesday “to announce supplemental funding of $223 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) for food assistance to the people of South Sudan.”

In June, the UN agency cut food aid to 1.7 million hungry people in South Sudan.

South Sudan faces unprecedented hunger amid climate shocks, soaring food prices linked to the war in Ukraine, and recovery from civil war.

Over 60% of the population of more than 11 million people faces severe food insecurity, according to WFP, which said it had to halve food rations last year.

Among those now losing food aid in the middle of South Sudan’s lean season are 178,000 children who will no longer receive school meals, WFP said.

Food security experts have warned that 1.4 million children will be acutely malnourished during the lean season between June and August.