The United Nations has raised alarm over a deepening food crisis in South Sudan, revealing that nearly 7.7 million people are facing crisis levels of hunger, with many affected in the conflict-hit northeast of the country.
South Sudan has struggled with recurring conflict and political instability since gaining independence in 2011.
The ongoing violence between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing First Vice President Riek Machar continues to undermine stability and humanitarian efforts.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) warned that millions are now experiencing food insecurity rated at the third-highest level — ranging from “crisis” to “emergency” or even “catastrophic.”
“This figure is close to the highest levels ever recorded,” the WFP said.
Of the 7.7 million affected, around 63,000 people are suffering from the most severe category of hunger, while 2.53 million are in the next most critical tier. Many of those affected live in Upper Nile State, a region in northeastern South Sudan currently gripped by escalating violence between rival factions.
The unrest has intensified recently, with Machar currently under house arrest in the capital, Juba. His party has named Stephen Par Kuol as acting leader in his absence.
The clashes have made Upper Nile the most severely impacted area, with one million people facing acute food shortages, according to the WFP.
“There is no shelter at all, and food is scarce,” said Reath Yian Ulang, a 32-year-old father-of-four from Ulang County in Upper Nile. “We used to depend on food brought by traders from Ethiopia, but they have all fled back across the border in fear. Now people drink water from the swamps.”
Efforts to deliver aid have been severely hampered by ongoing insecurity. The WFP confirmed that it had been forced to suspend food distributions in six counties within the region due to safety concerns for both staff and civilians.
Compounding the crisis, over 1.1 million people have fled into South Sudan from neighbouring Sudan since its civil war began two years ago. The majority of these refugees have settled in the already fragile Upper Nile region, and almost half are experiencing catastrophic hunger levels, according to WFP estimates.
South Sudan is also contending with a cholera outbreak, with UNICEF reporting around 40,000 suspected cases and nearly 700 deaths since September, with children among the worst affected.
Adding further strain, recent cuts to international aid — particularly from the United States — have forced the closure of key remote healthcare and food distribution centres. Humanitarian workers warn that these cuts have directly contributed to the deaths of vulnerable children.
