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South Sudan

WFP South Sudan Country Brief, May 2023

Attachments

In Numbers

22,270 mt of food distributed

USD 5.8 million in cash-based transfers distributed

USD 405 million six months net funding requirements (June – November 2023)

2.7 million people assisted in May 2023

Operational Updates

Humanitarian situation

• The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continued to worsen, driven by compounding effects of years of conflict, sub-national violence, food insecurity, climate crisis, and public health challenges. Insecurity, fuelled by inter-communal violence and the ongoing Sudan conflict, continue to drive up humanitarian needs in South Sudan. The latest influx continued to compound a dire situation, forcing humanitarian partners to make difficult choices about addressing growing humanitarian needs with limited resources.

• The Sudan conflict had forced thousands to flee to South Sudan, exacerbating the humanitarian situation in South Sudan. As of 31 May, 89,000 people had crossed into South Sudan. Of these, 93 percent were South Sudanese returning to communities already grappling with the effects of insecurity, climate change, food insecurity, limited services, and infrastructure.

Economic updates

• The South Sudanese Pound (SSP) to the US dollar exchange rate reached its lowest value, at SSP 955 and SSP 1,100 in the reference and parallel markets, respectively. In just a month, the reference exchange rate depreciated by 7 percent and 11 percent in the reference and informal markets, respectively. Over the past year, the SSP lost its purchasing power by 60 percent, affecting the purchasing power of market-dependent households, especially during the lean season, where the overall dependency on markets is highest.

Support to crisis-affected people

• Between January and May 2023, WFP had assisted 4 million people. Throughout May, WFP distributed 22,770 mt of food and USD 5.8 million as cash-based transfers to 2.7 million people, including new arrivals from Sudan, refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), rapid response mechanism and leanseason response through general food assistance (GFA), nutrition assistance, school feeding, food assistance for assets (FFA), and smallholder agriculture market access. This number represented 71 percent of the targeted people. Insecurity and poor road network hampered WFP’s efforts to reach all the targeted people in May. Overall, 51,322 new arrivals received hot meals, and dry rations, including specialized nutritious foods in May. WFP faces a USD 36 million funding shortfall between June and November 2023 for the Sudan crisis response.

Nutrition assistance

• To promote programme integration, WFP integrated 86 people living with HIV and tuberculosis (PLHIV/TB) in Juba County to benefit from the Urban Safety Nets programme. Further, WFP and AMREF Health Africa supported the Ministry of Health in integrating community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) and maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) into health facilities. The programme continued in 17 primary health care units, four primary health care centres and one hospital in 11 Payams of Tonj East and Tonj South Counties and one health centre in Tonj North in Warrap State.