South Sudan

Report: 7.8M Face Hunger in South Sudan

Is this crisis a failure of global funding or deliberate weaponization of aid by conflict actors?

Published APR 29

Story

Above: A woman undergoes an arm measurement for a malnutrition check at the Tiamushro internal displacement camp in Kadugli, South Kordofan, on June 17, 2024. Image credit: Guy Peterson/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

A U.N.-backed report released Tuesday projects that 7.8 million people in South Sudan — about 56% of the population — will face high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2026, one of the highest rates of hunger anywhere in the world.
Unicef
Firstpost
Among those facing acute food insecurity, 73,300 people are at the most severe level — IPC Phase 5, or Catastrophe — a 160% increase from the previous estimate. An additional 2.5 million are at "Emergency" level and 5.3 million are in Crisis status.
UN News
SANA
The FAO, WFP and UNICEF warn of a credible famine risk in four counties across Upper Nile and Jonglei states, where conflict and displacement have cut communities off from food, markets and essential services. Nearly 300,000 people have been displaced in Jonglei alone.
XINHUA
Unicef
Some 2.2 million children aged six months to five years are reportedly suffering from acute malnutrition — an increase of 100,000 over six months — and 700,000 are projected to face severe acute malnutrition through July 2026. An additional 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are reportedly acutely malnourished.
Arab News
Al Jazeera
The WFP requires close to $200 million over six months under a reduced operational plan for South Sudan, while the broader humanitarian appeal of $1.4 billion has received only 23% of the required funding. The FAO has secured just 5% of its $60 million target.
Arab News
The New Humanitarian
South Sudan's crisis is compounded by spillover from the war in neighboring Sudan, which has displaced more than 12 million people and left nearly 34 million in need of humanitarian assistance. U.S. aid cuts have further strained resources for refugees in the region.
WFP
The IRC

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

South Sudan's hunger catastrophe isn't just a natural disaster — conflict actors are deliberately weaponizing aid, blocking food from starving civilians and looting millions in humanitarian supplies. The government denies access to opposition-held areas where most war-affected people live, while militias massacre villagers lured by promises of food relief. The international community must demand unfettered humanitarian access immediately.

UN News

The New Humanitarian

Narrative B

South Sudan's hunger crisis demands urgent global funding, not just finger-pointing — the WFP alone needs significantly more funding to meet its humanitarian appeal target. With 700,000 children at grave risk of dying and famine threatening four counties, underfunding is as deadly as the conflict itself. Sustained investment in agriculture alongside emergency aid is the only path to breaking this cycle.

SANA on X

XINHUA

Editor's Note

This story currently has limited coverage. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our reporting as additional information becomes available.