South Sudan faces severe food shortages as conflict escalates

Deirig refugee camp

As South Sudan marks its third anniversary of independence on 9 July, CAFOD warns that the country is teetering on the brink of catastrophe as it faces its worst food crisis in 25 years, brought about by the ongoing conflict.

CAFOD’s Country Representative, Jane Andanje, said: “This is the rainy season and farmers across the country should be planting, ready to harvest in a few months time. Instead they have been forced to abandon their fields because of the fighting, and are living in squalid conditions in makeshift camps. Food prices have rocketed and people are no longer able to feed themselves.

“Today this crisis has left nearly four million people – a third of the country’s population – at risk of severe hunger.”

Fighting broke out between South Sudanese government forces and rival political factions in December last year, first on the streets of the capital Juba, before quickly spreading across the country. Seven months on, the conflict has forced an estimated one million people from their homes, and thousands have been killed.

Christian Modino, who leads CAFOD’s humanitarian response team in Africa, said: “It is now urgent that large-scale humanitarian assistance is allowed to take place – allowing aid to be pre-positioned and delivered to those affected. We need to ensure that already beleaguered communities have access to live-saving food and water, sanitation, healthcare, shelter and essential items. The humanitarian community needs all the support it can get to reduce needless suffering.”

CAFOD is scaling up its humanitarian response with its local Church partners – Caritas Malakal and Caritas South Sudan in Upper Nile State – as well as working with Don Bosco in Juba, who are coping with the arrival of more than 1,600 people into their church compound.

Last month the South Sudanese government and rival political factions agreed to end the fighting and form a transitional government. CAFOD cautiously welcomes this latest agreement. Previous deals to end the violence have been broken by both sides, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

CAFOD’s Jane Andanje said: “The international community and all parties to the conflict must redouble their efforts towards the next steps in securing a sustainable, negotiated, peaceful solution Now is not the time for the world to walk away from South Sudan. The people more than ever deserve our concerted attention and efforts; inaction is not an option.”

Source: CAFOD