South Sudan: Humanitarian Snapshot (January 2021)

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As the year began, people in South Sudan continued to suffer with high humanitarian needs. Some 8.3 million—over two-thirds of the total population—are estimated to need humanitarian assistance in 2021 according to the findings reflected in the 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview. This is an increase of 800,000 people from 7.5 million people in need in 2020. Some 5.82 million people, almost half of the population, are likely to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worsening acute food insecurity in January, including 11,000 people in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) acute food insecurity category in Pibor County. Sub-national violence and insecurity continued to displace people in Central and Western Equatoria, Upper Nile and Warrap. Ongoing sub-national violence in Tonj North County, Warrap, displaced thousands to Tonj South and Gogrial counties in Warrap. Almost 19,000 displaced people arrived in Gogrial East County. Clashes between an organized armed group and cattle keepers in Lainya County, Central Equatoria, displaced more than 9,400 people. In Western Equatoria, violence displaced some 9,000 people in Mundri East County, while an estimated one thousand fled their homes in Yambio County following tensions between an armed pastoralists group and the local community. An estimated 15,000 people were displaced by fighting in Maban, Upper Nile, while another 6,000 people reportedly crossed into Sudan and Ethiopia.

Since April 2020, 3,929 people have tested positive for COVID-19.