UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos to co-chair South Sudan humanitarian conference in Oslo

WHO: Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

WHAT: High-level humanitarian pledging conference for South Sudan

WHEN: 20 May 2014

WHERE: Oslo, Norway

UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos is scheduled to co-chair a high-level humanitarian pledging conference for South Sudan, taking place in Oslo, Norway, on 20 May. Norway is hosting the conference in cooperation with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The other co-chair is the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Børge Brende.

More than four million people - out of a total population of 11.5 million - are facing acute food insecurity as people have not been able to cultivate their crops because of the conflict. Experts warn that some areas of South Sudan could risk famine unless adequate humanitarian assistance is delivered. Increased international support is urgently needed now to scale up humanitarian action.

For further information, and to schedule interviews with USG Amos in Oslo, please contact Jens Laerke on +4179 472 9750 or laerke@un.org

Please note that the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already issued the following invitation to media (http://bit.ly/1jEpj58) which provides media accreditation contacts and details.