Attachments
Background
South Sudan is classified as a medium-intensity conflict zone in the World Bank’s Fragile Situations list and ranks 161 out of 163 countries in the 2024 Global Peace Index, indicating significant internal conflict and low peace levels (Fragile States Index 2024). Humanitarian needs remain alarmingly high, far exceeding available resources. Approximately 9 million people, or three-quarters of the country’s population of 12.4 million, require humanitarian assistance. The outlook for the coming months is worrisome with several factors compounding pre-existing vulnerabilities. These include the protracted humanitarian crisis; worsening food insecurity; projected record levels of flooding towards the end of the rainy season in September 2024 anticipated to affect 3.3 million people; an unprecedented economic crisis; the political environment and risk of turbulence with upcoming elections; the ongoing crisis in Sudan has also significantly impacted South Sudan, complicating the return of refugees and potentially impacting South Sudan’s economy by disrupting oil exports and insufficient funding for humanitarian action. Additionally, Poor transport and communication infrastructure perpetuates marginalization and inequitable access to social and economic opportunities remains a challenge.
South Sudan is extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts. Climate-related events – including floods and droughts – are a threat multiplier, amplifying existing vulnerability and exacerbating the risk of conflict and violence. Zoonotic viruses such as Ebola are a constant threat in the region, with predicted increased occurrences of outbreaks within South Sudan or neighbouring countries, which would quickly overwhelm an already fragile health system.
Logistics Gaps and Bottlenecks
Road access and security remain a major logistics challenge faced by the humanitarian community in South Sudan. Existing road networks are among the most underdeveloped, although the United Nations and private sector actors have made progress in improving road access in the past years. Most of the limited road network becomes inaccessible during the long rainy season, especially affecting Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile States. While the access situation improved in most parts of the country, insecurity, and Bureaucratic Access Impediments (BAI) remain a challenge for the humanitarian community. The following logistics gaps have been identified :
• Need for consolidated logistics coordination and information sharing to reduce duplication of efforts and ensure safe and efficient logistics operations.
• Physical constraints impeding access to several deep field locations, which are only reachable by air, especially during the rainy season.
• Insecurity along key road and river routes making the movement of humanitarian cargo challenging for organizations to undertake on their own.
• The need for increased capacity amongst local staff for a more efficient and gendered-focused humanitarian response.
• Inadequate storage in deep field locations that can mitigate against prep-positioning activities during the dry season