Attachments
In Numbers (March)
1,151,316 people assisted
USD 4.5 million in cash-based transfers distributed
12,222 mt of food distributed
USD 379 million net funding requirements under the 2025 operational plan
Operational Updates
Humanitarian situation
• South Sudan is facing a confluence of crises that continue to push the country towards new levels of vulnerability. The crises include violence and chronic food and nutrition insecurity, worsened by the severe economic downturn and climatic shocks. The ongoing Sudan conflict has compounded the situation by driving 1.1 million people into South Sudan.
• The security situation remains fragile, marked by armed clashes in multiple locations. The fighting between South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and armed youth in Nasir, Ulang and Longochuk counties in Upper Nile State displaced 84,000 people by 20 March, with violence spreading in neighbouring counties..
• South Sudan has been grappling with a cholera outbreak since last October. The violence in Upper Nile has deepened the public health crisis. Fatality rates stand at 4.4 percent in Nasir County, exceeding the WHO threshold (1 percent). Since October, the country has reported 40,000 cases and 694 fatalities, including in counties hosting new arrivals.
Support to crisis-affected people
• WFP distributed 12,222 mt of food and USD 4.5 million as cash-based transfers to 1.15 million people,2 including new arrivals from Sudan, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host populations. The total number of people reached represents 63 percent of the targeted population during the month. Since January 2025, WFP has assisted 1.5 million people with 26,000 mt of food and USD 6 million.
• Due to resource constraints, only the four Priority 1 counties (counties with pockets of populations facing Catastrophe food insecurity levels continued to receive 70 percent of the general food basket, while the rest, including refugees and IDPs continued to receive 50 percent of the food basket.
• After extensive engagements, the refugees in Maban agreed to the vulnerability-based targeting approach, which they had resisted since January, forcing WFP to pause distributions. Targeted refugees and new arrivals will start receiving their April entitlements in April. The new targeting approach will enhance resource optimization and ensure the most vulnerable refugees continue to receive food assistance.
Nutrition assistance
• WFP provided nutrition and health support to targeted groups, including preventing and supplementing MAM and community-led social behaviour change communication to improve health, nutrition knowledge and practices and address gender barriers. WFP provided specialised nutritious food to 89,000 children aged 6 - 59 months and 55,000 Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women and Girls (PBW/G) to supplement MAM. The prevention programme reached 72,000 children and 4,000 PBW/G.