Attachments
Highlights
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On 27 November, the Ministry of Finance, together with UN agencies, launched the National Development Strategy for South Sudan for the period July 2018 to June 2021.
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Through UNICEF’s robust advocacy and technical support, the South Sudan Government signed the Civil Registry Act 2018 into law. The Act will see children being registered and receiving their birth certificates.
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World Children’s Day was celebrated on 20 November, with children taking over the airwaves of three radio stations throughout the day.
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The Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, implemented a Sub-National Immunization Day campaign, targeting over 2 million children under 5 years with Oral Polio Vaccine along with deworming and Vitamin A supplementation in Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Humanitarian access has improved in some areas and deteriorated in others. The secession of hostilities has allowed for renewed access to Greater Baggari, Western Bahr el Ghazal, for the first time since September 2018. UNICEF and partners have taken advantage of this opportunity and are responding to the needs of an estimated 28,000 people in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 4 conditions in the area. Similarly, in Central Equatoria, decreases in clashes between government and opposition forces in some areas have allowed UNICEF and partners to conduct several response activities to those affected by the recent fighting. However, the sustainability of access in these areas remains uncertain. At the same time, UNICEF and partners faced 15 reported access incidents in November, including a sharp rise in inter-communal violence, as well as restrictions of movement and bureaucratic impediments, many of which occurred in Jonglei and Unity states. These incidents delayed or prevented programme activities to support approximately 164,000 people in need.
As the dry season approaches, the ability to take advantage of new and existing modalities of transportation, particularly roadways, are likely to improve. In November, the Logistics Cluster reported that it facilitated the transport of 1,261 metric tons of humanitarian cargo by road, air and river to 44 destinations on behalf of 75 organizations, the highest amount of cargo moved in a single month so far in 2018.
On 27 November, the Ministry of Finance, together with UN agencies, launched the National Development Strategy for South Sudan for the period July 2018 to June 2021. The plan seeks to consolidate peace and stabilize the economy through strategic actions in six priority areas: (i) create enabling conditions for and facilitate the voluntary return and integration of displaced South Sudanese; (ii) develop appropriate laws and enforce the rule of law; (iii) ensure secure access to adequate and nutritious food; (iv) silence the guns by facilitating a permanent cessation of hostilities; (v) restore and expand the provision of basic services and; (vi) restore and maintain basic transport infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Speaking at the launch, Vice President Wani Igga read the President’s speech requesting all government offices, development partners and investors to align their programmes and investments with the strategy.