UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Allocates $12 Million for South Sudan Crisis

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General (Photo Credit: United Nations)

By: Alfadil Attiya Abuanja

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated $12 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support communities affected by displacement, conflict, and worsening food insecurity in South Sudan.

The announcement was made on Wednesday in New York by Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, during a media briefing at UN headquarters.

According to Haq, the emergency funding will enable the United Nations and its humanitarian partners to deliver critical assistance, including food supplies, healthcare services, clean drinking water, shelter, and other life-saving support to nearly 200,000 people affected by violence and humanitarian distress.

The assistance will primarily target residents in Akobo County and other parts of Jonglei State, as well as communities in Upper Nile State and other priority areas experiencing severe humanitarian needs.

Haq said the humanitarian situation in Akobo County has significantly deteriorated following recent escalations in fighting, which have forced more than 200,000 people to flee their homes.

“More than 200,000 people have fled their homes, while food insecurity continues to climb,” Haq told reporters. “Some 12,000 people in Akobo are already facing the most extreme hunger and malnutrition.”

Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that continued violence, displacement, flooding, and economic hardship are worsening conditions across several parts of South Sudan, leaving millions dependent on humanitarian assistance.

The new CERF allocation comes as aid agencies struggle to respond to rising needs amid funding shortages and growing insecurity in conflict-affected areas.