South Sudan

Overview

South Sudan has witnessed intermittent civil war since December 2013 and widespread communal and localised violence. As a result, there is widespread insecurity, large-scale internal displacement, and refugee outflow to Sudan and Uganda, as well as largely deteriorated food security. As of January 2020, 7.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.?

The latest peace agreement in South Sudan signed in 2018, also known as the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), has brought a fragile truce and led to the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) in February 2020. While there has been a reduction in conflict between the government and main opposition, and localised violence has surged as a result of conflict over land and resources, cattle raiding, and reprisal attacks.

The surge in intercommunal violence throughout South Sudan resulted in significant civilian casualties during the first quarter of 2020. In 2020, people living in Jonglei state and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area have experienced recurring violence, displacing more than 60,000 and crippling the food security and livelihoods of growing numbers of people.?These displaced people urgently require food assistance, healthcare and WASH services?Overall nearly 4 million people are displaced, including 1.6 million IDPs and 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees. In addition, South Sudan hosts over 305,000 refugees from Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Central African Republic.?

INFORM measures South Sudan's risk of humanitarian crisis and disaster for 2020 to be very high, at 9/10, up from 8.9/10 in 2019. South Sudan's vulnerability is measured at 9.3/10.?

Latest Developments

Escalation of violence in Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, and Upper Nile states has resulted in civilian casualties, displacement, and disruption of humanitarian activities and access to basic services. In Central Equatoria, conflict between the National Salvation Front and South Sudan People’s Defense in Lainya and Yei counties resulted in at least 1,500 people displaced by end of March. The violence has disrupted farming activities in Central Equatoria, an important agriculturally rich area. The country continues to face the highest levels of food insecurity since independence. 7.2 million people are projected to face Crisis (IPC-3) levels or worse over the April-July lean season, including 2.4 million facing Emergency (IPC-4); 108,000 people are facing Catastrophe (IPC-5) in Jonglei and the Pibor Administrative Area, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Warrap.?