More than one million people in South Sudan could lose access to critical food assistance by October due to reduced funding and ongoing refugee arrivals from Sudan, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). Renk, South Sudan, has become a significant entry point for refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan, with approximately 3,000 individuals crossing the border weekly. Many arrive in dire conditions, facing hunger and financial hardship.
The WFP reported a drastic decrease in food stocks in Malakal, a key logistics hub, which have dropped from 10,000 metric tonnes last year to less than 300 tonnes currently. This decline occurs amid increasing humanitarian needs and limited resources. WFP assistant executive director Matthew Hollingworth visited affected areas and noted that the war in Sudan has exacerbated the situation, driving up prices and straining resources in South Sudan.
Hollingworth stated, "The war in Sudan has been catastrophic for the north of this country. Prices have gone so much higher due to the complexity of importing goods from Sudan. Moreover, the influx of refugees comes to a country that is really stretched when it comes to helping them."
Conditions in Renk are challenging, with drought and flooding impacting local communities. Displaced individuals, like Peter Maker from Pigi, highlighted the difficulty in farming and finding work due to insecurity and the influx of refugees. Maker emphasized the need for long-term solutions and warned that further cuts to assistance would worsen the situation.
The WFP and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have indicated that over 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers are at risk of losing food assistance, with critical support for 240,000 vulnerable refugees expected to run out in September without additional funding.
In Malakal, nearly 40,000 displaced individuals reside in a former Protection of Civilians site, which has faced pressure on basic services due to funding shortfalls. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that water, sanitation, and hygiene services in Bentiu and Malakal are at risk, and without maintenance, the area could face increased flooding during the rainy season.
Refugees like Najah al-Tayieb al-Fadhul, who lost her husband in the conflict, described the daily struggles with hunger and malnutrition. Al-Fadhul noted that despite securing a job, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with many families relying on limited aid.
The WFP currently faces an immediate funding gap of $86 million and a projected shortfall of $416 million over the next six months, which threatens its ability to assist refugees and vulnerable communities. The hunger crisis in South Sudan is severe, with 7.8 million people, over half the population, experiencing high levels of food insecurity, and 2.2 million children acutely malnourished. Nura Mohammed Ahmed, a Sudanese refugee, expressed the dire choices facing many: "Many people died here because of hunger and lack of nutrition. There’s nothing, or food that can give us strength. The only solution is to return to war-torn Sudan despite the risks, or die here from hunger."