Aid workers fear South Sudan already experiencing famine

Famine is likely already happening in parts of South Sudan, according to reports, as aid workers worry that the severity of the situation is not being recognised.

On Friday, a review found that 24,000 people are already at a “catastrophic” level of food insecurity, and people in parts of Pibor county, in Jonglei state, are probably experiencing famine.

That area has been affected by both violence and heavy flooding over the past year, and tens of thousands of people have been displaced.

The review was released by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification [IPC], which brings together international non-profits, UN agencies and government officials.

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On Friday, UN agencies called for access to the worst affected parts of Jonglei state, which is in the central east of the country, while appealing for an end to violence.

"We are extremely concerned about the increased numbers of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition," said Mohamed Ayoya, from the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef). "These children need urgent treatment to prevent them from dying . . . At the same time, we need to invest more in actions to prevent children from becoming malnourished in the first place."

Makena Walker, deputy country director for the World Food Programme (WFP), said: "WFP is extremely worried about the rising numbers of people suffering because of the lack of sufficient food and nutrition, intensified conflict, unprecedented flooding and high food prices. The coming year will be extremely tough, but we are determined to do all we can to reach more people for longer periods of time."

Five more counties

Aid workers in South Sudan, who spoke to The Irish Times on condition of anonymity for fear of professional repercussions, pointed to another recent report into the prevalence of food insecurity, which was referenced in a footnote in the latest IPC review. It said there was a likelihood that people in five more counties were also experiencing famine-like conditions.

“A humanitarian disaster is happening,” said one aid worker, speaking from South Sudanese capital Juba, who worried that resources weren’t being mobilised fast enough and accused the government, in particular, of downplaying the scale of the crisis. “This is happening now and it’s projected to get worse...[these are] literally the most vulnerable people on the planet right now.”

A government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Of the €1.5 billion requested for South Sudan's humanitarian response in 2020, 56 per cent was received, according to UN figures.

Last month the UN set aside a further €81.51 million in emergency funding to try to avert famines in seven at-risk countries, including €5.71 million for South Sudan.

The landlocked African state is also the world’s youngest country, gaining independence from the north in 2011. Civil war broke out two years later, with hundreds of thousands of people killed and millions fleeing before a peace deal was agreed. Inter-communal fighting continues.

Famine was last declared in South Sudan in 2017, in parts of Unity State, which is in the northern-central part of the country.