ReliefWeb

In Numbers

4.54 million people facing acute food insecurity from September to December 2019 (IPC)

2.1 million acutely malnourished women and children (HRP)

1.85 million people assisted by WFP in October 2019

1.47 million internally displaced people (OCHA)

2.24 million South Sudanese refugees (UNHCR)

180,478 seeking shelter with the UN (UNMISS)

Highlights

• WFP is in a race against time to mobilize vital funds for food assistance to prevent famine conditions in the coming months as the year ends amid intense political instability and catastrophic flooding. WFP urgently requires US$ 270 million to provide life-saving food and nutrition support to the population.

• On December 12, the humanitarian community launched the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2020, requesting US$ 1.5 billion to reach 5.6 million people with urgent life-saving assistance. WFP needs for 2020 are reflected in the Humanitarian Response Plan. However, should additional funding not be received in a timely manner, these needs will increase.

Situation Update

• WFP is concerned that up to 5.5 million South Sudanese are projected to be going hungry in early 2020 according to forecasts from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The number of people in need of food assistance is likely to increase due to the catastrophic level of destruction caused by floods that have been devastating the country since July 2019. Close to one million people have been directly affected by flooding that destroyed 73,000 metric tons of potential harvests and wiped out tens of thousands of cattle and goats on which people depend for survival.

• WFP has increased its assistance to reach 4.6 million people with life-saving support this year. However, WFP urgently requires US$270 million for the first half of 2020 to be able to provide food assistance to prevent famine conditions in the coming months. Of this, WFP needs US$100 million in the next month to buy and preposition food ahead of the rainy season in May 2020.

• Alain Noudéhou, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, called for timely contribution to next year’s humanitarian response to help build on the gains made to date to improve people’s lives. In 2019, around 5 million people have been reached with assistance through the Humanitarian Response Plan, thanks to the dedication of thousands of humanitarian workers, most of whom are South Sudanese, and the generosity of donors who have contributed more than US$1 billion towards the 2019 response.

• UN peacekeepers have been sent to the northern Lakes region after increased inter-communal violence claimed the lives of 79 people and injured more than 100. David Shearer, Special Representative of the UN Secretary–General, urged people not turn to violence as a solution to the dire economic situation or because of political uncertainty. Reconciliation and peace-building is the only viable path to development and, ultimately, prosperity for all South Sudanese he added.

• Parties to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan have not been able to agree on how many states the country should have. A two-day meeting held in Juba, December 2 – 4, overseen by the Deputy President of South Africa, David Mabuza, and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Special Envoy to South Sudan, Ismail Wais, ended in deadlock. The resolution of the issue of states and their boundaries is expected