JUBA — Massive cuts to humanitarian budgets risk leaving millions of South Sudanese without desperately needed lifesaving humanitarian aid, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned Tuesday.
The latest WFP operation report released on Tuesday said that millions would be cut off from life-saving aid in the coming months amid severe aid cuts threatening its operations.
“However, a severe funding shortfall threatens ongoing support, placing millions at risk of losing aid,” it said.
The WFP said it has reached over two million people in South Sudan with emergency food assistance so far this year.
It said the looming shortfall comes at a time when nearly 7.7 million people are facing severe hunger in the country.
More than 83,000 people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger (IPC5)—the highest classification of food insecurity report, it said.
“Severe funding shortfalls mean WFP can reach just 2.5 million people with regular assistance—only 30 percent of people facing severe hunger—across the country with emergency food assistance.”
The U.N. agency urgently requires US$274 million to maintain support for 2.5 million of the most acutely food insecure through the end of the year.
It said the fund will help to provide only 50 percent rations to these communities in most cases.
“Further reductions in rations and assistance will be necessary in September if additional funds are not urgently received. Limiting food aid to the most vulnerable families ’risks undoing recent fragile gains.”
“The scale of the humanitarian needs in South Sudan is staggering. But the scale of suffering here does not make headlines,” said Carl Skau, WFP’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, following a recent visit to the country.
“WFP has the expertise, the teams, and the capacity to deliver, even in the most remote and challenging environments, but without sufficient funding, our hands are tied.”
It said over 32,000 people displaced by recent violence in Upper Nile State are in dire need of humanitarian aid.
It said civilians in Nasir and Ulang counties in Upper Nile are at risk of deteriorating into famine, in addition to the 39,000 who recently returned to South Sudan fleeing conflict in Sudan.
It said 2.3 million children are at risk of malnutrition—with the majority of them in conflict areas of Upper Nile and flood-affected areas such as Bentiu, among the most impacted.
It said due to raging conflict in neighboring Sudan, nearly 1.2 million people have fled to South Sudan since April 2023, many arriving hungry, malnourished, and traumatized.
WFP has resumed airdrop operations in parts of Greater Upper Nile to reach communities in the most isolated and conflict-affected areas, it said.
In July alone, the agency delivered 430 metric tons of food, aiming to reach 40,000 people at risk of famine.
Additionally, river convoys carrying food and humanitarian supplies have resumed along the White Nile after months of restricted access.
On 16 July, a convoy loaded with 1,380 metric tons of food and relief items departed Bor, destined for communities in Upper Nile State.
River transport remains the most cost-effective and scalable method for delivering aid in South Sudan, where road infrastructure is extremely poor or nonexistent.
