Introduction
It is estimated that 72% of South Sudan’s population requires urgent humanitarian assistance in 2022.
Thousands of people are living in famine-like conditions, and undernutrition is at critical levels. There are over 2 million South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
The EU is a long-standing donor of humanitarian aid in the country and continues to support humanitarian projects helping South Sudanese refugees in the region.
What are the needs?
There has been slow progress in implementing the peace agreement ending 6 years of civil war. This situation has pushed the transitional government of national unity to extend the transition period until February 2025.
The country’s security remains extremely fragile. It is compounded by multiple local ethnic conflicts, youth mobilisation, widespread violence, and serious human rights abuses.
South Sudan is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since its independence. This is due to continued conflicts and climate change — notably 3 years of unprecedented floods that induced massive displacement and destruction of crops.
Over 8.9 million people (including 4.6 million children) will require humanitarian assistance in 2022. In addition, more than 2 million people are internally displaced, and 2.2 million have sought refuge abroad.
Some 7.7 million people (2/3 of the population) are expected to face extreme levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. This makes South Sudan one of the worst food insecurity emergencies in the world.
The health situation is generally very worrying. Epidemic outbreaks, water-borne and endemic diseases are reported, particularly in internally displaced persons’ sites and congested settlements.
South Sudan remains one of the most challenging countries for humanitarian aid workers, with an increase in reported attacks against humanitarian staff and assets. Last year, 267 incidents involving NGOs resulted in 15 deaths and 42 wounded among NGO staff.
How are we helping?
In 2022, the EU allocated €77.2 million for humanitarian actions covering the response to food insecurity, violence and floods across South Sudan.
This also includes €3 million supporting static and mobile interventions on education in emergencies, focusing on primary education for newly displaced and out-of-school children.
Food insecurity and malnutrition are at a record high across the country. The EU contributes to reducing excess mortality and morbidity through emergency food assistance and nutrition interventions, including in hard-to-reach areas.
In addition, EU humanitarian funds support addressing critical humanitarian needs through emergency lifesaving activities, particularly when facing new shocks.
EU-funded humanitarian projects also provide protection assistance to displaced people and those affected by trauma and widespread violence, including children, women and girls. The protection of children and women is a priority for the EU given the extreme levels of violence and the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
The EU continues to strongly support principled humanitarian assistance and advocate for the protection of humanitarian workers and their safe and sustained access to all parts of the country.
In addition, in 2021, the European Commission provided €100 million for COVID-19 vaccination in countries in Africa with critical humanitarian needs and fragile health systems. South Sudan received €2.8 million from this funding.
Facts & figures
8.9 million people need humanitarian assistance (HNO, 2022)
Around 7.74 million people require emergency food aid between April and July 2022 (IPC Jan / Jul 2022)
Over 2 million people are internally displaced (OCHA)
Around 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees are in neighbouring countries (UNHCR)
EU humanitarian funding:
€77.2 million in 2022
more than €786 million since 2014
