Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

South Sudan + 1 more

Funds for food crisis in South Sudan

The Australian Government will provide an additional $2.6 million to address food shortages in South Sudan following renewed fighting and the further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.

Australia has provided $13.4 million in humanitarian assistance to South Sudan since the outbreak of the crisis in December 2013.

Severe food shortages are a consequence of the fighting which prevents South Sudanese people from planting crops or from accessing food. This additional $2.6 million contribution will be provided to the World Food Programme to deliver food assistance to almost 80,000 displaced people sheltering in UN bases.

The scale and complexity of the conflict in South Sudan continues to have devastating consequences for civilians. Over one million people have been internally displaced and more than 310,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently visited the country and warned that if the conflict continued, half of South Sudan’s 12 million people could be displaced internally, refugees abroad, starving or dead by the year’s end.

The Australian Government continues to call on all parties to the conflict to immediately halt hostilities and observe the 9 May peace agreement which has so far gone unheeded.

Australia is also working in the UN Security Council to ensure that the UN Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS) is properly mandated and equipped to fulfil its important role protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian access and monitoring human rights violations. The Australian Government commends UNMISS, including the Australian Defence Force personnel deployed there, for their valuable efforts under difficult conditions.

The Australian Government continues to strongly advise Australians not to travel to South Sudan, including Juba, because of ongoing military conflict. Australians in South Sudan are strongly advised to leave as soon as possible while commercial options are available.