S. Sudan gov't, aid agencies launch $1bn humanitarian appeal

November 14, 2013 (JUBA) - Aid agencies and South Sudan government have launched a three-year humanitarian appeal for US$1.1bn to carter for the country’s over three million “most” vulnerable people.

Toby Lanzer the humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan(UN photo)

The 2014-2016 initiative, the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) said, will ensure each person receives about $355 worth of support inform of emergency health, food and nutrition.

Over two years since its independence, South Sudan faces enormous humanitarian challenges, orchestrated by violent conflicts, inter-communal fights and floods from heavy rains.

Early this year, a joint UN food security assessment, showed at least four million people were food insecure, with up to one million at risk of being severely hit.

South Sudan minister for gender, humanitarian affairs and disaster management said the consolidated appeal takes a bold new approach to delivering humanitarian assistance.

“Placing resilience and national institutions at the forefront of aid work will help create a South Sudan which is better able to care for its citizens in times of crisis”, Awut Deng Acuil added.

Considered one of the poorest countries in the world, South Sudan reportedly has one of the largest humanitarian operations globally.

“While the core of humanitarian action remains to save lives in emergencies, two new pillars of action will enhance the impact of emergency relief in the next three years: building community resilience and strengthening national capacity to deliver basic services,” OCHA further said.

The appeal, it added, links humanitarian action to the broader framework of the “new deal for engagement in fragile states”, a global initiative aimed to move fragile countries towards resilience.

Toby Lanzer, the UN humanitarian chief for South Sudan said the new deal was founded on the idea of national ownership, and a relationship between fragile countries and their donors based on trust and mutually agreed goals.

“While our appeal focuses largely on principled humanitarian action to save lives, including a link to the new deal is especially important to speed up South Sudan’s journey to recovery, and to ensure that every aid dollar spent here has a lasting impact”, he said.

Peter Lam Both, the chairperson of the country’s relief and rehabilitation commission urged donors to contribute to the new appeal as early as possible so that supplies are pre-positioned ahead of the rainy seasons.

(ST).