US provides over $57 million in humanitarian aid for South Sudan

July 5, 2024 (JUBA) –  The United States government has announced more than $57 million in additional humanitarian assistance to address urgent needs of hundreds of thousands of crisis-affected people in South Sudan.

The funding, announced by the US envoy to South Sudan Michael J. Adler, includes nearly $55 million through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and $2.4 million through the U.S. Department of State.

South Sudan continues to experience the compounding effects of insecurity and climatic shocks, such as seasonal flooding, which have generated significant humanitarian needs across the country.

According to the UN, an estimated 9 million people, will require humanitarian assistance in 2024. In addition, more than seven million people are expected to need food assistance during the lean season from April to July, and 1.6 million children ages five years and younger are at risk of acute malnutrition.

In addition, the escalating humanitarian crisis in neighboring Sudan has also forced more than 700,000 people, primarily South Sudanese, to flee violence and return to South Sudan, since April 2023.

With the funding announced today, USAID’s UN and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners will provide multi-purpose market-based assistance, health care, nutrition support, protection, shelter items, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services, among other support, for the most vulnerable South Sudanese and returnees from Sudan, the statement from USAID further stressed.

This additional funding, it stated, brings the total US government humanitarian assistance in South Sudan to nearly $351 million to date in fiscal year 2024.

Since South Sudan gained independence from neighbouring Sudan in 2011, the US government has reportedly provided nearly $7.3 billion to the young nation.

(ST)