Calls for immediate action to prevent famine in South Sudan ahead of donor conference
May 18, 2014 (OSLO, Norway) – The Norwegian government and United Nations humanitarian agencies warn that unless funds are availed to “prevent famine in South Sudan” there will be a loss of a generation in the world’s youngest country.
In a statement on the Humanitarian Pledging Conference for South Sudan website, humanitarian partners said at least seven million South Sudanese – representing more than of the population, have been affected by the six month conflict.
Norwegian minister of foreign affairs Borge Brende and Valerie Amos, the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, will chair the conference on South Sudan in Oslo on Tuesday.
South Sudan’s minister of foreign affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin represents Juba will represent the ruling SPLM. International as well as South Sudanese non-governmental organisations and representatives of various governments will participate in the one day conference.
The armed oppositions led by former vice president Riek Machar, as well as civil society groups will also sent delegates to Olso for the conference.
“The gravity of the situation in South Sudan, and the impact on the neighbouring countries, calls for immediate action,” a joint statement signed by the Norwegian foreign minister Borge and UN Humanitarian chief Valeria Amos said on Sunday.
Humanitarian partners estimate four million people will “face alarming food insecurity by end of December 2014.”
Over one million people have been displaced and thousands killed in the conflict which began as a dispute within the ruling SPLM but quickly caused a major split in the military. Much of the fighting being along ethnic lines and some of which constitute war crimes according to the United Nations.
(ST)