WFP warns of $412 million funding shortfall for South Sudan’s humanitarian needs

Juba:  The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said that it faces a critical funding shortfall of $412 million to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of millions in crisis-hit South Sudan in 2025.

The WFP highlighted pressing requirements, including food and nutrition aid for crisis-affected populations, prepositioning supplies before the rainy season in May, and logistical support services.

“The country is grappling with a long-standing humanitarian crisis marked by chronic food and nutrition insecurity, worsened by the severe economic downturn and climatic shocks,” the WFP said in its latest report.

The conflict in neighbouring Sudan has worsened the situation, pushing over one million refugees into South Sudan.

According to the UN, about 9.3 million people will require humanitarian assistance in 2025, which is 300,000 more than in 2024, while over 1.8 million remain internally displaced due to violence and climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts.

Between December 2024 and March 2025, approximately 6.1 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Projections indicate that the number could rise to 7.7 million during the 2025 lean season, Xinhua news agency reported.

The WFP, meanwhile, noted that Sudan’s conflict has exacerbated South Sudan’s economic conditions. Damage to Sudan’s oil pipeline has disrupted exports, reducing foreign exchange inflows and depreciating the local currency.

South Sudan is grappling with multiple crises, including subnational violence, economic instability, and food insecurity, pushing millions of families into unprecedented humanitarian, economic, and political vulnerability, the agency warned.

The WFP is an international organisation within the United Nations that provides food assistance worldwide. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation and the leading provider of school meals. Founded in 1961, WFP is headquartered in Rome and has offices in 87 countries. In 2023 it supported over 152 million people, and it is present in more than 120 countries and territories.

–IANS