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 Januyary 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

22/02/2021: Residents of Duk county, Jonglei state are cut off from the rest of the state because of flooding. Some local markets were last restocked in June 2020. They are running out of basic commodities and relying on wild leaves and diminishing food aid. Severe flooding has affected South Sudan since last July, with many counties across the country cut off from access to food.?

17/02/2021: Food prices in Wau town, Western Bahr el Ghazal state, continue to rise in 2021. The price of a 50 kg bag of sugar increased since the beginning of the year by 36%, 50 kg of flour by 14%, and 20L of cooking oil by 25%. Some of the constraints to restocking local markets are attributed to poor road conditions and checkpoints costs.?

17/02/2021: A polio vaccination campaign has been suspended in Rumbek North county, Lakes state, after a vehicle carrying health workers for the campaign was caught in crossfire during a cattle raid. Two health workers were killed and one injured. Flooding, population movements, and COVID-19 restrictions have already posed challenges for vaccination campaigns.?

10/02/2021: Some 1,000 people were displaced after an armed group attacked and burnt several villages in Akoka county (Upper Nile state) on 2 February. The attack left 10 people dead and 11 injured. Most of the displaced are staying in and around Akoka town and need shelter, food and livelihoods assistance.?

For information on the impact of COVID-19 in South Sudan, see the paragraph below.