Over 800,000 flee Sudan conflict into South Sudan, straining resources – official

August 14, 2024 (JUBA) – The ongoing conflict in Sudan has driven more than 800,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring South Sudan since April 2023, a South Sudanese official said on Wednesday, adding to the humanitarian challenges posed by climate change.

Albino Akol Atak, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, said the escalating fighting has worsened an already dire situation caused by delayed rains and flooding.

“This year in South Sudan we have had a lot of crises that have made our people vulnerable,” Akol said during a food aid handover ceremony to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Juba.

Most of the arrivals are stranded at transit centres, straining resources available to the government and host communities, he added.

Akol also warned of impending floods due to water releases from Uganda’s Owen Falls Dam, though the volume has been reduced at South Sudan’s request.

Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP’s country director in South Sudan, said the agency faces a $250 million funding shortfall to address the combined crises of floods, the Sudan conflict, food insecurity, and malnutrition in South Sudan.