In their twelfth year of independence, the people of South Sudan are confronted by formidable challenges marked by conflict in 2013 and 2016, intensifying humanitarian, economic, social, and political crises. The 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) continues to provide hope for peace. However, sub-national violence persists in some areas, leading to the displacement of people and loss of lives and livelihoods.
The World Bank’s Fragile Situations list classified South Sudan as a medium-intensity conflict zone. It ranks 160 of 163 countries in the 2023 Global Peace Index, indicating significant internal conflict and low peace levels. Traditionally rooted in tribal and pastoralist disputes, inter-communal conflicts persist in many parts of the country. Limited access to remote locations where these incidents occur hampers access to services for affected people. Explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination, particularly in the southern Greater Equatoria Region, pose threats to safe returnee resettlement, agricultural activities, and the general safety of the civilian population.
South Sudan grapples with dire economic conditions marked by institutional fragility, economic policy distortions, and limited diversification. The effects of conflicts deepen extreme poverty and hamper private sector prospects and livelihood improvements. Despite hopes for an oil-led recovery after the 2018 truce and resumed oil production, COVID-19, sub-national violence, flooding, and structural hurdles significantly impacted economic progress
South Sudan relies on oil exports, which comprise 95 percent of its exports and are the primary national revenue source. Inflation, currency depreciation, and limited diversification are significant economic challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, causing a sharp oil price drop, income loss, severe currency devaluation, and soaring inflation, which the country has yet to recover from. In addition, global trends, including pandemic-induced supply shortages, rising United States dollar (USD) denominated commodity prices, and a stronger USD, impact the economy significantly. South Sudan’s reliance on imports for consumer goods faces a persistent balance of payments deficits and limits hard currency access beyond oil exports. As of 31 August 2023, the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) had depreciated against the US dollar by 50 percent since the beginning of 2023.
Conflict and insecurity continue to be significant drivers of people’s needs in South Sudan. Sub-national and inter-communal violence, crime, and impunity resulted in widespread displacement and hindered access to vital services.
The people of South Sudan, especially women and children, experience a severe protection crisis. Levels of violence, exploitation, and abuse are notably high, including conflict related sexual violence, gender-based violence (GBV), and growing child protection concerns. The 2.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) represent the world’s fourth most neglected displacement crisis, including over 37,0006 IDPs in the Malakal Protection of Civilians site. Concurrently, South Sudan grapples with Africa’s largest refugee crisis, with over 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees hosted in neighboring countries. With the onset of the Sudan crisis in April 2023 and a combination of violence and the cessation of food distribution in parts of Ethiopia, thousands of people returned to South Sudan, many of whom are highly vulnerable and arriving in critically underdeveloped areas. UNHCR estimates that by the beginning of 2024, an estimated 520,000 returnees from Sudan will have arrived in South Sudan since the outbreak of the Sudan crisis.
These regional tensions have affected South Sudan’s economy, resulting in a surge in food prices and other essential commodities. Furthermore, the already weakened coping capacities in many destination counties for returnees are likely to exacerbate protection risks, vulnerabilities, food insecurity, and acute humanitarian needs for both the local population and returning individuals.
People’s food security situation has deteriorated due to multiple shocks, including flooding, ongoing conflict, displacement, and a high cost of living. As per the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) of October 2023, approximately 7.1 million individuals of South Sudan’s total population of 12.4 million are projected to face crisis-level or more severe acute food insecurity during the lean season from April to July 202410. The most likely affected regions include Jonglei, Unity, parts of Upper Nile, northern Warrap, Eastern Equatoria, Lakes, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states. Pockets of catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Phase 5) projected in Pibor in Jonglei State and Aweil East in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State are of particular concern.
Malnutrition rates remain high among children and women in South Sudan. The 2023 Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System (FSNMS) and Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) survey findings estimate Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels above the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency threshold of 15 percent in 46 out of the 79 counties, with over 2.5 million children and women at risk of acute malnutrition in 2024. Contributing factors to this include high food insecurity, poor water and hygiene conditions, high child morbidity rates, GBV concerns, and poor child feeding and caring practices. Eighteen counties experience extreme deprivation, further compounding the nutrition crisis.
South Sudan faces severe climate vulnerabilities, ranking as the second most vulnerable country globally to natural hazards according to the 2023 INFORM Risk Index. The country stands among the top five most climate-vulnerable countries. An estimated 95 percent of the population depends on climate-sensitive livelihoods, increasing their risk of reduced access to water, sanitation challenges, and food insecurity due to climate change. Climate-driven challenges increase competition and resource conflict, necessitating urgent adaptation measures to address long-term structural changes.
Alterations in rainy season patterns triggered severe flooding from 2019 to 2022, resulting in increased population vulnerability and infrastructure damage. In 2022 alone, over 1 million people were affected by flooding in South Sudan. Climate-induced drought-like conditions strain rural communities reliant on subsistence farming and pastoralism, affecting their access to water resources and production.
Only 7 percent of South Sudanese have electricity, 10 percent access improved sanitation, and 70 percent lack basic healthcare services. The national budget allocation for health care is 8 percent, and only 35 percent of the population has access to potable water. About 60 percent of people practice open defecation, risking contamination of water sources