South Sudan

Conflict, mass displacement, climate shocks, economic instability and the ongoing war in neighbouring Sudan are driving a severe hunger crisis in South Sudan.

Over half of the population – 7.8 million people – face high levels of acute food insecurity, while 2.2 million children are acutely malnourished.

To compound the crisis, a funding crisis means more than 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers risk losing access to life-saving assistance just as humanitarian needs continue to rise.

Any cuts would hit especially hard during the rainy season (April to October), when food becomes scarcer, market prices rise and flooded or degraded roads make humanitarian access increasingly difficult.

More than 1.4 million refugees and returnees have crossed into South Sudan since war erupted in Sudan in 2023. Humanitarian assistance remains a critical lifeline for refugee families to meet their basic food and nutrition needs.

More than this, refugees risk seeing years of hard work undone – threatening their ability to support themselves and continue making progress in education, livelihoods and resilience.

The World Food Programme (WFP) remains committed to reaching vulnerable people with life-saving assistance, crisis-affected people through emergency food and cash assistance.

WFP faces a US$258 million funding shortfall for the remainder of 2026, threatening life-saving support for millions of vulnerable people.