The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday warned over 70 percent of South Sudan’s population is likely to face extreme hunger this year as conflict and climate-related disasters escalate food scarcity in the country, reported The UN News.
In a press release on Friday, the WFP warned of a fresh hunger crisis threatening millions of South Sudanese already devastated by floods and a resurgence of conflict.
The UN food agency claimed a “hidden hunger emergency” is engulfing South Sudan with about 8.3 million people– including refugees – facing extreme hunger in the coming months.
Notably, South Sudan is the largest source of refugees in Africa, numbering more than 2.3 million, and hosts one of the world’s largest peacekeeping operations.
The WFP said the impact of the climate crisis and ongoing conflict has resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of people, livelihoods losses, and the destruction of arable land and crops. The unfavorable conditions have led to rising food prices that threaten the survival of communities living in some of the most isolated areas in the South Sudanese states of Jonglei, Lakes, Unity, and Warrap.
The agency added that many South Sudanese have already been pushed to the brink and could starve without food assistance.
“The extent and depth of this crisis is unsettling,” said Adeyinka Badejo, the WFP’s deputy country director in South Sudan. “We’re seeing people across the country have exhausted all their available options to make ends meet and now they are left with nothing.”
The alarming news comes weeks after the United Nations warned that the country risks a return to war, with hundreds of civilians killed during outbreaks of interethnic violence.
A 2018 ceasefire and a power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar still largely holds, but little progress made in fulfilling the terms of the peace process.
