Humanitarian crisis: S. Sudan turns the corner

Families that returned to South Sudan from the North receive food aid at a camp in Juba. Photo/AFP 

By A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

In Summary

• UN officials anticipate that 4.4m South Sudanese will need aid next year, compared with 4.6m in 2013.

There is an improved humanitarian situation in South Sudan as the numbers of new refugees and returnees arriving from Sudan continue to decrease.

According to the 2014-2016 Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) for South Sudan, there is also an overall improvement in food security in the country.

However, a significant proportion of the South Sudan population still needs food as well as clean water, sanitation and health services.

“While humanitarian needs remain immense, the situation has improved on several fronts,” said Vincent Lelei, the head of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in South Sudan.

“Humanitarian needs have reduced for the first time since 2011,” he noted. “The arrival of refugees from Sudan has slowed down. Food security overall improved for many people.”

In 2014, OCHA anticipates that 4.4 million people in South Sudan will need humanitarian aid, compared with 4.6 million in 2013.

“The reduction is due to lower refugee and returnee arrivals anticipated, and fewer people expected to be food insecure,” Mr Lelei said.

Of the 4.4 million, aid agencies are targeting the most vulnerable 3.1 million individuals in 2014. The country’s population is 12 million. The three-year CAP requested $1.1 billion to meet the needs of the 3.1 million ($355 per person), focusing on emergency health, food and nutrition support.

According to Mr Lelei, humanitarian assistance will be provided across 12 sectors. Some 2.3 million people will be targeted with food and livelihood support, 2.9 million will be provided with clean water and sanitation, and 2 million will be provided with health services.

“We anticipate that South Sudan will host 270,000 refugees by the end of next year,” Mr Lelei said. “These people will be supported with shelter, food, education and nutrition.”

South Sudan is home to about 225,557 refugees, according to OCHA. They are mainly from Sudan’s Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

In mid-October, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) appealed for humanitarian assistance for 2,500 new Sudanese arrivals from South Kordofan in Kodok and Lelo in Fashoda and Malakal counties respectively.

“The people we have seen in Upper Nile State [in northern South Sudan] have walked five to 10 days, fleeing from their homes in Warni and Kau-Nyaro in southeastern South Kordofan state. Some said they had left their homes due to the ongoing conflict and lack of food after two consecutive poor harvest seasons,” MSF operational manager Alberto Cristina said.

“They are already weak when they arrive and, without humanitarian assistance, their condition will only worsen.”

MSF is providing treatment to children under five at its feeding programme in Kodok. The organisation also has mobile clinics in Lelo and Gholo areas in Upper Nile State, South Sudan