South Sudan is facing one of the worst food security crises globally. An estimated 7.2 million people, representing 60% of the country’s population are expected to face acute food insecurity between now and July 2021, says the East African regional group, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)’s Food Security and Nutrition Working Group.
In a report released on Monday, the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group has revealed that the main drivers of food insecurity in the country are conflict – widespread flooding, COVID-19, and a protracted macroeconomic crisis.
Of the 7.2 million people faced with starvation, about 108 000 people are expected to be in catastrophe with Pibor County projected to face a “famine likely” situation.
An estimated 1.4 million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year.
IGAD is concerned that despite life-threatening levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in South Sudan, the humanitarian response remains largely underfunded.
A civil war that erupted in late 2013 has left more than 400 000 people dead and over a million displaced.
On Sunday, President Salva Kiir dissolved Parliament to pave the way for the appointment of lawmakers from formerly warring parties in the country.
This was one of the agreements a peace deal signed to end the civil war.
In the video below, Dr Abdul Karim Elgoni weighs in on the situation in South Sudan:
Two weeks ago, the World Food Programme reported that food insecurity in the world’s youngest nation had reached extreme levels.
