South Sudan: the country could experience "its worst food crisis" warns the United Nations
Displaced persons camp in South Sudan (illustrative image).
RFI/Sebastien Nemeth
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
the UN Food Programme, is sounding the alarm.
More than 70% of the population of the world's youngest country - it only gained independence from neighboring Sudan in 2011 - will face hunger this year.
Endless conflicts, climatic calamities or even inflation, the country will experience “
its worst food crisis
”, warned the UN agency in a press release.
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The World Food Program (WFP) does not hide its concern.
With the eyes of the world on Ukraine, South Sudan is being overwhelmed by a hitherto unnoticed food emergency that will affect seven out of ten South Sudanese in the coming months , warns the WFP.
More than 8.3 million people will experience “
extreme hunger in the months to come
”, specifies the United Nations agency.
Already alarming food insecurity
The country was already facing alarming food insecurity, after long years of civil war which displaced more than four million people until 2018. This situation has been exacerbated for two years, in particular by record floods followed by periods of severe drought, as well as recurrent politico-ethnic violence.
And, ten days ago, the UN warned of "
a real risk of a return to conflict
" between the two enemy brothers, President Salva Kiir and his Vice-President Riek Machar, after clashes between their factions which have claimed more than 400 civilian casualties in recent months.
A “ disturbing
”
magnitude
"
The scale and gravity of this crisis are disturbing
," says the UN organization.
His number two in the country, Adeyinka Badijo, says that now “
people have nothing to eat
”.
Thousands of South Sudanese could therefore "
starve to death if they do not receive food aid
", warns the WFP.
►Also read
: Outbreak of inter-communal violence on the border of Sudan and South Sudan
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South Sudan
Humanitarian
Food
UN