South Sudan faces famine risk
The UN warned South Sudan is at risk of a “full‑scale famine” as fighting intensifies and aid workers come under increased attack. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the Security Council that two‑thirds of the population will need support this year while the UN appeal is only about 22% funded. (aljazeera.com) (english.news.cn)
South Sudan is edging toward famine as fighting spreads, people flee again, and the United Nations says aid is running out. (reliefweb.int) United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher told the Security Council on April 17 that two-thirds of South Sudan’s people will need help in 2026. He said the country’s $1.46 billion humanitarian plan was only 22.2% funded. (reliefweb.int) (fts.unocha.org) Fletcher said emergency levels of hunger are expected in parts of all 10 states during the lean season, the stretch before harvest when food stocks run lowest. He also told the council that attacks on aid workers are rising and access is blocked by checkpoints, fees and limits on air travel. (reliefweb.int) (english.news.cn) The warning comes after a new surge of violence that United Nations agencies say began in late December 2025 in northern and central South Sudan. UNICEF said at least 280,000 people were displaced in Jonglei State alone by mid-February. (unicef.org) Food monitors had already projected that about 7.56 million people would face crisis-level hunger or worse between April and July 2026. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification also flagged parts of Nasir and Fangak counties as areas at risk of famine. (unicef.org) (ipcinfo.org) South Sudan is also carrying spillover from the war in neighboring Sudan. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said nearly 1.3 million refugees and returnees had entered South Sudan from Sudan since April 2023 by the end of November 2025. (unocha.org) The pressure is showing up in markets and basic services. The World Food Programme said South Sudan was hosting 615,000 refugees as of February 28, while food prices were still about 630% of their pre-Sudan-war level. (docs.wfp.org) The Security Council is weighing what comes next for the United Nations peacekeeping mission, whose mandate runs through April 30, 2026. The mission, known as UNMISS, has nearly 20,000 uniformed and civilian personnel from 73 countries. (news.un.org) (unmiss.unmissions.org) Fletcher asked the council for three steps: press for unhindered aid access, provide more flexible funding during the lean season, and enforce international humanitarian law. His warning was blunt: without those moves, hunger, displacement and attacks on civilians are likely to keep rising. (reliefweb.int)
