South Sudan says UN food report is misleading

(MENAFN - The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) South Sudan on Tuesday said the United Nations is misleading the world on the country’s food security situation dismissing a report issued on Nov. 24 which states that over 7.5 million people i.e. 94 percent of the population was at risk of starvation as a result of the crisis.

The report is "a complete lie that is meant to mislead the world" Awut Deng Achuil minister for humanitarian affairs and disaster management said to journalists in Juba today. "As a member state South Sudan would expect the UN to always share and validate such a report before disseminating it to the public."

"The government is extremely concerned about the food security situation for an estimated population of 30000 people in the conflict-affected States of Unity Upper Nile and Jonglei which is less than the reported figure" Awut told reporters in Juba.

According to the UN report humanitarian agencies said an estimated 7.5 million people were pron to suffer from food shortages. Moreover an unprecedented malaria outbreak has affected nearly all of South Sudan. The most affected areas are located in the greater Upper Nile of which the majority of people support opposition leader Riek Machar it said.

The total population of the three states currently affected by the conflict does not reach 3 million Achuil said.

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) experts said in October that South Sudan faces a serious risk of famine by the end of this year and 30000 people are already classified as being in a food security catastrophe.

South Sudan imports most of its food. In spite of having fertile soil and a climate favorable to numerous crops. Since the country plunged into conflict in December 2013 the poor economy has been compounded by a sharp drop in oil production -- the main revenue source for the government -- and an unfavorable exchange rate for the U.S. dollar which is used to purchase imports.

By Parach Mach