Key facts
- Over 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan are at risk of losing food aid access.
- The UN warns this is due to a severe funding shortfall, with potential loss of aid within weeks.
- The World Food Programme and UN refugee agency stated that the last distributions for 240,000 vulnerable refugees are in September.
- UNHCR requires $37 million to bridge its funding gap for refugee operations between October and December.
- Food assistance for 180,000 internally displaced people is set to cease from October.
- By November, 600,000 people in famine-risk areas could lose life-saving support.
More than 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan face the imminent loss of food aid due to a severe funding shortfall, according to warnings from UN agencies. The World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) stated that the last distributions for the most vulnerable 240,000 refugees are scheduled for September unless urgent new funding is secured.
These refugees are already receiving half-rations, and further cuts are expected. WFP's deputy country director in South Sudan, Adham Effendi, described the situation as a reality that will unfold within weeks. UNHCR's Deputy Representative, Mesfin Degefu, indicated that without funding, no refugees in South Sudan would receive food assistance from October.
The funding crisis also threatens efforts to help refugees become self-reliant. UNHCR has only received 28% of its $286 million requirement for the year. The shortfall could force some refugees to consider returning to Sudan, despite UNHCR not deeming conditions there safe. Families are already resorting to reducing meals, selling belongings, and taking on debt, while women and children face heightened risks of exploitation and abuse.
Beyond refugees, food assistance for approximately 180,000 internally displaced people is slated to cease from October. By November, an estimated 600,000 people living in famine-risk areas could lose critical support. The UN agencies highlighted that South Sudan is already grappling with one of the world's worst hunger crises, with over half its population experiencing acute food insecurity.