South Sudan: World's Youngest Nation Struggling to Meet Needs of Its People

A senior United Nations relief official said today that while there has been improvement in the situation in strife-torn South Sudan, the UN will adjust its humanitarian strategy in the coming year to ensure that the world's youngest nation is better able to fortify itself against the impacts of crises, both man-made and natural.

Just back from a visit aimed at keeping the global spotlight on the complex humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, Kyung-Wha Kang, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said she had sought ways to strengthen partnership and cooperation with regional actors and Governments to help tackle the country's myriad challenges.

"Although the humanitarian situation in the country has improved slightly over the last year, and United Nations agencies and aid partners continue to work with the Government to meet the needs of communities affected by crises, it was very clear that much more needs to be done," she said briefing reporters at Headquarters.

Ms. Kang, who is also the Deputy UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, visited several crisis hit counties in Jonglei, including Pibor, Bor and Twic East.

Travelling through the region, she met families impacted by the sporadic violence that has afflicted those communities, as well as those affected by recent seasonal floods. "As the world's youngest country, South Sudan is struggling to provide security and meet the basic needs of its people," she said, noting that 4.5 million need humanitarian assistance and 1.5 million are severely food insecure.

Further, Ms. Kang said 345,000 people had been affected by the floods, as countless homes and farms were destroyed. Throughout Jonglei, "I heard harrowing stories of suffering and loss due to displacement," she said.

In her meetings with officials in Jonglei and in the capital, Juba, she had focused on the need to find sustainable solutions to the protracted crises facing South Sudan, including finding ways to improve disaster management, scale up investment in basic infrastructure and promote broader sustainable development

With all this in mind, she said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will seek a different approach to its response in South Sudan next year.