South Sudan: Humanitarian Snapshot (April 2025)

In April, fighting between armed groups continued to trigger fatalities and mass displacement in Upper Nile State and northern Jonglei, undermining essential services and worsening the humanitarian situation. The overall estimate remains that about 130,000 people have been displaced by Upper Nile fighting, including many thousands reported to have crossed into Ethiopia. Additionally, a surge in armed violence has driven many people to flee their homes in Central Equatoria State. An inter-agency team reported that over 14,500 people were displaced by fighting in Morobo County. Over 7,000 people have fled their homes due to intercommunal violence in Terekeka County. In April, South Sudan continued to experience its most severe cholera outbreak on record. There were 56,248 cases and 1,093 deaths reported in 46 counties across nine states and two administrative areas (Ruweng and Pibor) as of 30 April. Humanitarians have highlighted Juba City as one of the locations where cases are rising. An estimated 7.7 million people are projected to be at risk of experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity in the country between April and July – up from 7.1 million people in the same period in 2024. The ability of humanitarian partners to mitigate the effects of crises is severely undermined by unprecedented funding cuts. Active hostilities severely affected civilians in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Central Equatoria, hindering life-saving aid delivery to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly. Humanitarian access to conflict-affected counties in Upper Nile State, particularly Ulang, Bailiet, and Nasir, was severely restricted due to clashes between armed actors, resulting in looting and vandalism of critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools. Hostilities disrupted key river supply routes along the Bor–Malakal axis and Sobat corridor, delaying humanitarian supplies to Upper Nile and Unity States, including aid for IDPs and refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.