JUBA, South Sudan — An alarming warning has been issued by three United Nations agencies regarding the imminent threat of famine in a conflict-torn region of South Sudan.
According to a joint statement by the World Food Program, the U.N. Children’s Fund, and the Food and Agriculture Organization, 11 out of the 13 counties within South Sudan’s Upper Nile state are grappling with emergency levels of hunger.
The ongoing violence in Upper Nile is primarily driven by clashes between government forces and opposing armed militias. This conflict has intensified recently, resulting in widespread destruction of homes, disruption of livelihoods, and major obstacles in the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The statement highlighted a significant rise in the number of individuals struggling with catastrophic hunger conditions, numbering around 32,000, marking a troubling increase of more than threefold from earlier estimates.
While certain regions of South Sudan are noting some positive shifts in food security, nearly 57% of the country’s 11.5 million population currently endure severe food insecurity. A stark reminder is the famine declared back in 2017 in parts of the nation.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an authoritative global system for identifying hunger crises, outlines criteria for declaring a famine: when at least 20% of households experience extreme food scarcity, 30% of children suffer acute malnutrition, and mortality rates surpass two adults or four children per 10,000 daily due to hunger. The IPC incorporates expertise from over 20 organizations, including prominent U.N. agencies and international networks.
Nasir, a county heavily implicated in famine threats, is a known refuge for anti-government factions and continues to witness escalating conflict and rising civilian tolls.
Mary-Ellen McGroarty, the World Food Program’s representative in South Sudan, emphasized the dire effects of conflict on food security in the U.N. agencies’ statement. She stressed that warfare not only obliterates homes and livelihoods but also rends communities apart and obstructs market access, further inflating food costs. Though permanent peace remains a goal, she noted the immediate necessity of safe access for aid teams to distribute vital food assistance in Upper Nile, averting an impending famine.