Humanitarian crisis: S. Sudan turns the corner/ The East African / 10.12.13

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Humanitarian crisis: S. Sudan turns the corner/ The East African /
10.12.13
A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

There is an improved humanitarian situation in South Sudan as the numbers
of new refugees and returnees arriving from Sudan continue to decrease.

According to the 2014-2016 Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) for South
Sudan, there is also an overall improvement in food security in the
country.

However, a significant proportion of the South Sudan population still needs
food as well as clean water, sanitation and health services.

“While humanitarian needs remain immense, the situation has improved on
several fronts,” said Vincent Lelei, the head of the UN Office for the
Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in South Sudan.

“Humanitarian needs have reduced for the first time since 2011,” he noted.
“The arrival of refugees from Sudan has slowed down. Food security overall
improved for many people.”

In 2014, OCHA anticipates that 4.4 million people in South Sudan will need
humanitarian aid, compared with 4.6 million in 2013.

“The reduction is due to lower refugee and returnee arrivals anticipated,
and fewer people expected to be food insecure,” Mr Lelei said.

Of the 4.4 million, aid agencies are targeting the most vulnerable 3.1
million individuals in 2014. The country’s population is 12 million. The
three-year CAP requested $1.1 billion to meet the needs of the 3.1 million
($355 per person), focusing on emergency health, food and nutrition
support.

According to Mr Lelei, humanitarian assistance will be provided across 12
sectors. Some 2.3 million people will be targeted with food and livelihood
support, 2.9 million will be provided with clean water and sanitation, and
2 million will be provided with health services.

“We anticipate that South Sudan will host 270,000 refugees by the end of
next year,” Mr Lelei said. “These people will be supported with shelter,
food, education and nutrition.”

South Sudan is home to about 225,557 refugees, according to OCHA. They are
mainly from Sudan’s Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

In mid-October, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) appealed for humanitarian
assistance for 2,500 new Sudanese arrivals from South Kordofan in Kodok and
Lelo in Fashoda and Malakal counties respectively.

“The people we have seen in Upper Nile State [in northern South Sudan] have
walked five to 10 days, fleeing from their homes in Warni and Kau-Nyaro in
southeastern South Kordofan state. Some said they had left their homes due
to the ongoing conflict and lack of food after two consecutive poor harvest
seasons,” MSF operational manager Alberto Cristina said.

“They are already weak when they arrive and, without humanitarian
assistance, their condition will only worsen.”

MSF is providing treatment to children under five at its feeding programme
in Kodok. The organisation also has mobile clinics in Lelo and Gholo areas
in Upper Nile State, South Sudan.

Attacks against civilians

South Sudan has also been struggling with internal conflict in Jonglei
State as well as natural disasters. In late October, the UN Mission in
South Sudan (UNMISS) condemned attacks against civilians in Jonglei’s Twic
East County.

An estimated 159,130 people have been internally displaced in the country
since January, according to OCHA, which notes that “due to access
constraints, this figure under-represents the actual number of people
displaced by violence in the country.”

South Sudan was also recently hit by flooding, which affected 199,003
people.

Speaking about the launch of the appeal on November 14, Awut Deng Acuil,
South Sudan’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and disaster Management,
said placing national institutions at the forefront of aid work will help
create a South Sudan that is more able to care for its citizens in times of
crisis.