South Sudan faces the worst food security crises: IGAD

South Sudan is facing one of the worst food security crises globally. An estimated 7.2 million people, representing 60% of the country’s population are expected to face acute food insecurity between now and July 2021, says the East African regional group, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)’s Food Security and Nutrition Working Group.

In a report released on Monday, the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group has revealed that the main drivers of food insecurity in the country are conflict – widespread flooding, COVID-19, and a protracted macroeconomic crisis.

Of the 7.2 million people faced with starvation, about 108 000 people are expected to be in catastrophe with Pibor County projected to face a “famine likely” situation.

An estimated 1.4 million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year.

IGAD is concerned that despite life-threatening levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in South Sudan, the humanitarian response remains largely underfunded.

A civil war that erupted in late 2013^[1] has left more than 400 000 people dead and over a million displaced.

On Sunday, President Salva Kiir dissolved Parliament^[2] to pave the way for the appointment of lawmakers from formerly warring parties in the country.

This was one of the agreements a peace deal signed to end the civil war.

In the video below, Dr Abdul Karim Elgoni weighs in on the situation in South Sudan:

Two weeks ago, the World Food Programme reported that food insecurity in the world’s youngest nation had reached extreme levels.

References

1. ^{^} civil war that erupted in late 2013 (www.sabcnews.com)
2. ^{^} President Salva Kiir dissolved Parliament (www.sabcnews.com)