South Sudan

Overview

Since December 2013, South Sudan has experienced intermittent civil war and intercommunal and localised violence. This environment has resulted in widespread insecurity, large-scale internal displacement, increased refugee outflow to Sudan and Uganda, and deteriorating food security. 8.9 million people in South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022.?

The latest peace agreement in South Sudan – the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan – was signed in 2018. The agreement has led to a fragile truce and resulted in the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2020. While hostility between the Government and the main opposition has decreased, localised violence has surged because of conflict over land and resources, cattle raiding, and reprisal attacks.?

The surge in intercommunal violence throughout South Sudan affected less civilians in 2021 than in 2020. There were 3,414 victims of killing, injury, abduction, and conflict-related sexual violence in 2021. In 2021, Warrap and Western Equatoria states were most affected by conflict, accounting for 43% of the total civilian victims.?

Since 2013, more than four million people have been displaced, including 2.2 million IDPs and 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees. South Sudan hosts about 341,000 refugees from Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.?

INFORM estimates South Sudan's humanitarian crisis and disaster risk for 2022 to be very high, at 8.5/10. The lack of coping capacity is estimated at 9.5/10, and vulnerability is estimated at 9/10.?

Latest Developments

21/09: Flooding in Aweil East, Aweil South, Aweil Municipality, and Aweil Centre counties (Northern Bhar el Ghazal state), following heavy rainfall in July–August, has affected at least 225,000 people (latest estimates by state authorities suggest over 800,000 people were affected in all state counties) and displaced around 84,000. 1,600 buildings were damaged, including homes and schools. Aweil East is the most affected, with 67,000 IDPs taking refuge within host communities in the same county. Of the 17,000 people displaced in Aweil South, Aweil Municipality, and Aweil Centre, some are living out in the open, under trees, and by roadsides, while others found refuge in schools and health centres. IDPs in the open are more susceptible to contracting malaria, pneumonia, or diarrhoea. At least 10,500 hectares of cropland were flooded, which could further worsen food insecurity. The people affected by flooding have needs across all sectors. Accessing some affected areas by road is difficult because of poor road conditions, worsened by flooding.?