South Sudan On The Brink: UNMISS Warns Of Severe Humanitarian And Economic Challenges

A perfect storm is brewing in South Sudan, according to Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). He highlighted this during a statement to the Security Council on Wednesday.

Haysom pointed out that South Sudan faces a prolonged humanitarian crisis rooted in chronic food insecurity. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has spilled over into South Sudan, resulting in the movement of 750,000 refugees and internally displaced people so far. This situation is compounded by uncertainty surrounding critical political events necessary for a successful transition.

Ms. Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), noted that heavy rains since May and the controlled release of water from Lake Victoria have raised Nile River levels. Floods have already affected up to 300,000 people.

The economy is rapidly deteriorating due to disruptions in vital oil infrastructure and revenue. Additionally, there is a potential for unprecedented flooding in September. Haysom warned that any one of these issues alone would be significant, but together they could push the country to a tipping point during a delicate phase of nation-building.

Wosornu added that at the peak flood season between September and October, flooding could impact up to 3.3 million people. This includes communities still recovering from devastating floods between 2019 and 2022, which displaced over 1 million people each year.

Collaborative Efforts and Urgent Action

UNMISS is collaborating closely with the UN Country Team, humanitarian partners, and the Government of South Sudan on scenario planning, analysis, and mitigations for the challenging period ahead. However, Haysom stressed that time is running out and the costs of inaction are too great. If these elements converge, it could exceed the capacities of the United Nations and derail the country's political transition.

Wosornu cautioned that South Sudan is grappling with growing food insecurity, climate crisis, economic crisis, and the impacts of conflict in Sudan while facing dwindling financial support for humanitarian response. She stated: "Without immediate action, things will only get even worse in the weeks and months ahead."

The implications for East Africa would be significant if these challenges are not addressed promptly.

With inputs from WAM