The scale of humanitarian operations in South Sudan is the largest in any single country and the world's youngest nation is on the brink of a "catastrophe", a top United Nations official has warned.
Ahead of a visit by UN Security Council members to Africa next week, the deputy peacekeeping chief Edmond Mulet said that almost four million people are at risk of starvation amid growing concerns of famine.
Mulet warned council members that militia violence in South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, which became independent in July 2011, has caused widespread displacement of more than a million people. Around 500,000 more have fled across borders.
"After three years of independence, South Sudan is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe and a protracted internal conflict," Mulet said.
"This is a man-made crisis, and those responsible for it have been slow in resolving it."
The cholera epidemic is worsening and over 5,000 cases of cholera have been reported in the country, resulting in nearly 100 deaths, Mulet added. An outbreak in Wau Shilluk in Upper Nile State has claimed about 20 lives alone.
An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since fighting erupted in December 2013, when a political power struggle broke out between President Kiir and his ex-deputy Riek Machar, as the president accused Mr Machar and ten others of attempting a coup d'état.
The conflict has led to inter-ethnic fighting between Kiir's Dinka and Machar's Nuer. Although Kiir and Machar agreed to a ceasefire in May, but little progress has been made so far.
According to Mulet, the UN peacekeeping operation in South Sudan was sheltering nearly 100,000 civilians at its bases.
"With the prolonged presence of this considerable number of people at the facilities which were not built for such a purpose, conditions have become extremely challenging," he said.
The Security Council has almost doubled the mandated number of peacekeepers at the end of December to 1,323 police officers and around 12,500 troops.
As of Monday, Mulet said there were around 1,000 police officers and 10,500 troops.
Joseph Moum Malok, South Sudan's envoy to the UN, said his government was committed to reaching a "final settlement for the conflict through negotiation", according to Al Jazeera.
He added that it has been "forced to react in self-defence to protect its citizens".
On Monday, peace talks between South Sudan's government and rebels in Ethiopia were restarted with the aim of creating a transitional government.
Source http://uk.news.yahoo.com/south-sudan-violence-famine-pushes-worlds-youngest-nation-142736316.html
Newer articles:
- South Sudan: The Unraveling of South Sudan - 08/08/2014 06:00
- Arms embargo needed to stem South Sudan war: HRW - 08/08/2014 02:39
- South Sudan: Peace Talks Falter - 07/08/2014 23:15
- S. Sudan Talks Falter as Conflict Threatens to Spread - 07/08/2014 19:30
- Ireland donates €1.5 million to South Sudan famine prevention fund - 07/08/2014 17:40
Older news items
- South Sudan Faces Hunger, Malnutrition And Unending Conflict - 07/08/2014 10:34
- UN warns South Sudan nearing 'catastrophe' - 07/08/2014 04:18
- UN evacuates staff, aid workers in South Sudan - 06/08/2014 23:41
- South Sudan humanitarian aid operations are world's largest: U.N. - 06/08/2014 23:19
- South Sudan Peace Talks Hit New Obstacle - 06/08/2014 23:01
Latest news items (all categories):
- UNDP and the Office of the Vice President Launches the Women and Youth Leadership Program in South Sudan - 14/02/2025 11:37
- The Grave Blunders And The Paradoxical Ways In Leadership Sector - 14/02/2025 11:32
- ADF approves $153.66 million for Uganda-South Sudan electricity interconnection project - 13/02/2025 20:48
- Rwandan peacekeepers in South Sudan get UN service medals for their service - 13/02/2025 20:44
- Afreximbank seeks to claw back US$657mn debt from South Sudan - 13/02/2025 20:30
Random articles (all categories):
- UNMAS South Sudan Mine Action News - July 2013 - 12/08/2013 22:55
- Nothing to celebrate as South Sudan marks independence - 08/07/2014 05:15
- South Sudan’s currency loses more value amid plans to change it - 22/10/2020 05:07
- South Sudan: A new dawn after years of wasted lives? - 14/04/2016 17:01
- South Sudan's Upper Nile Scene of Refugee Influx - Voice of America - 07/06/2012 14:14
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 73040 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 22397 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 21623 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 19504 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 19256 times