The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a dire warning about the devastating floods affecting South Sudan. Heavy rainfall and flooding have displaced over 241,000 people and affected nearly 900,000 others in the country.
Aid agencies have expressed deep concern over the situation, stating that South Sudan, already vulnerable to climate change, is facing its worst flooding in decades. The floods have rendered 15 main supply routes impassable, hindering humanitarian efforts.
Unity and Warrap states in the north of the country have been particularly hard hit, accounting for more than 40 percent of the affected population. Over 241,000 people have been forced to seek shelter on higher ground, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The flooding has compounded the existing challenges faced by South Sudan, including chronic instability, violence, economic stagnation, and disease outbreaks. The World Bank has estimated that nine million people, including refugees, will experience critical needs in 2024.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has further complicated the situation, with over 797,000 refugees, including South Sudanese returnees, fleeing to South Sudan. The country is also facing political paralysis, as the government has extended the transitional period agreed upon in a 2018 peace deal, delaying elections by another two years.
The international community has expressed growing frustration with the lack of progress in South Sudan, urging its leaders to commit to a democratic future. The UN mission chief, Nicholas Haysom, has emphasized the need for tangible evidence of the government’s commitment to resolving the country’s challenges.