The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
STORYLINE
South Sudan: UN humanitarians forced to cut aid to 1.7 million
Food assistance to 1.7 million people in South Sudan has been suspended, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday, citing a funding crunch and rising needs. “Essentially, we’re in ‘famine-prevention mode’,” the agency said.
One look at the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) data shows that is the very last thing South Sudan needs.
“We had planned to provide food assistance to 6.2 million people this year, but faced with increasing humanitarian needs and insufficient funding, we have taken the painful step to suspend food assistance to 1.7 million people,” said Adeyinka Badejo-Sanogo, WFP Acting Country Director in South Sudan. “These are people that are experiencing emergency and crisis levels of food insecurity, what we call IPC4 and IPC3.”
The WFP official explained that more than two in three people are experiencing a serious humanitarian and protection crisis and need help to survive. “Of these, we estimate that 8.3 million people, including internally displaced persons and refugees, will endure acute severe hunger during the lean season.”
The development comes as communities prepare for a fourth consecutive year of flash-flooding, which has left vast stretches of ground sodden and fields unusable, particularly in Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity states.
In 2021, one million people fled their homes because of the flooding in South Sudan. This year, it’s estimated that approximately 600,000 are in the path of expanding flood waters and at risk of displacement.
“We are expecting a fourth year of massive flooding based on forecasts of an above-average rainfall, adding on to stagnant waters that have not receded from previous years,” said Ms. Badejo-Sanogo.
There is particular concern because the cutbacks are happening at the start of the lean season. “Families have completely exhausted any food reserves and are likely to continue to suffer acute levels of hunger as the lean season deepens,” the WFP official said. “Essentially, WFP in South Sudan, we are in ‘famine-prevention’ mode.”
Chronic levels of violence in parts of South Sudan continues to drive displacement and vulnerability, Ms. Badejo-Sanogo continued. In late April, additional UN peacekeepers were deployed to Leer county, after a surge in rapes, beheadings, civilians being burned alive and attacks on humanitarians.
“The political and security context in South Sudan remains volatile and it continues to aggravate the lives of communities,” the WFP official explained. “So far this year, we have seen 200,000 people newly displaced as a result of conflicts. And with displacement comes disruption in lives and livelihoods. And WFP, we're at a situation where we simply do not have the resources to respond to new emergencies.”
Without fresh funding, WFP has warned that more vulnerable people will have revert to survival strategies such as skipping or reducing meals, selling assets, sending their children to work and child marriage.
To support crisis response and resilience-building, the UN agency requires $426 million to reach six million food insecure people over the next six months.
ends
STORY: South Sudan Hunger Alert – WFP
TRT: 3 min 01 s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 14 June 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior medium shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, a sunny day.
- Wide shot, journalists, podium and moderator in press briefing room, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Adeyinka Badejo-Sanogo, WFP Acting Country Director in South Sudan (From Juba): “WFP, we had planned to provide food assistance to 6.2 million people this year, but faced with increasing humanitarian needs and insufficient funding, we have taken the painful step to suspend food assistance to 1.7 million people. And these are people that are experiencing emergency and crisis levels of food insecurity, what we call IPC4 and IPC3.”
- Close-up, participant’s face blurred in foreground, remote speaker’s face on TV screen to rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Adeyinka Badejo-Sanogo, WFP Acting Country Director in South Sudan (From Juba): “We are particularly concerned with these cuts, especially because these cuts are happening at the start of the lean season, when families have completely exhausted any food reserves and are likely to continue to suffer acute levels of hunger as the lean season deepens. Essentially, WFP in South Sudan, we are in ‘famine-prevention’ mode.”
- Medium shot, journalists seated and listening to the speaker.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Adeyinka Badejo-Sanogo, WFP Acting Country Director in South Sudan (From Juba): “More than two-thirds of the South Sudanese population are experiencing a serious humanitarian and protection crisis and require humanitarian assistance to survive. Of these, we estimate that 8.3 million people, including internally displaced persons and refugees, will endure acute severe hunger during the lean season.”
- Close-up, journalists’ hands typing on laptops.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Adeyinka Badejo-Sanogo, WFP Acting Country Director in South Sudan (From Juba): “We are expecting a fourth year of massive flooding based on forecasts of an above-average rainfall, adding on to stagnant waters that have not receded from previous years.”
- Close-up, photographer taking photos, looks up.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Adeyinka Badejo-Sanogo, WFP Acting Country Director in South Sudan (From Juba): “The political and security context in South Sudan remains volatile and it continues to aggravate the lives of communities. So far this year, we have seen 200,000 people newly displaced as a result of conflicts. And with displacement comes disruption in lives and livelihoods. And WFP, we're at a situation where we simply do not have the resources to respond to new emergencies.”
- Close-up, TV camera and tripod blurred in foreground, TV screen showing speakers to rear.
- Medium shot, participants sitting, one has his arms folded, photographer positioning for a photo to rear.
- Medium shot, participants seated in front of laptops following the press conference.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today told the bi-weekly UN press briefing in Geneva of more details that are emerging on the atrocities committed in El Fasher, in Sudan during and after its takeover by the Rapid Support Forces.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango made the following comment on Friday at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani made the following comment on Friday at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO
Sudan: UN Raises Alarm Over Mass Atrocities in El Fasher as Survivors Report Executions, Killings and Rapes
More details continue to emerge about atrocities committed during and after the fall of El Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan on 23 October. Since the powerful paramilitary group made a major incursion into the city last week, the UN Human Rights Office has received “horrendous accounts of summary executions, mass killings, rapes, attacks against humanitarian workers, looting, abductions and forced displacement,” said Seif Magango, spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Ukraine: Russian attacks on energy terrorize population as winter starts; could trigger major ‘crisis within crisis’
The UN’s top aid official in Ukraine expressed concern on Friday about “continuous attacks” on energy production sites and distribution facilities.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The telecommunications shutdowns in Afghanistan in September had serious and far-reaching impacts on people’s lives, according to a briefing paper published today by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence at the UN Geneva press briefing made the following comment on the ASEAN declaration on the right to a healthy environment.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , OCHA , WMO
‘Catastrophic’ Hurricane Melissa hours from landfall in Jamaica as humanitarians rush to save lives
Millions in Jamaica and across the Caribbean are bracing for massive impact from Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday as the UN and partners are warning of a “severe” and “immediate” humanitarian threat.
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘We need all routes to open’: in Gaza WHO calls for ramp-up of medevacs, easier access for essentials
Two weeks since a ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza the World Health Organization (WHO) noted progress on the flow of aid while calling for more evacuations of critical patients and eased entry for essential medicines and supplies.
1
12
1
1
Edited News | WMO , UNITED NATIONS
UN chief urges boost to life-saving weather warning systems, stresses role of climate change science
No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP , OCHA
UN urges opening of all Gaza crossings to deliver three-month food supply
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned food aid cannot reach everyone in Gaza unless all border crossings are opened, particularly in the north where famine was declared in August. The agency says it already has enough supplies in place to feed the entire population of the Strip for three months – if full access is granted by Israel.