UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned the Security Council on April 18 that South Sudan faces a risk of full-scale famine and state collapse as fighting intensifies and the UN peacekeeping mission is reduced.
Fletcher cited escalating violence and peacekeeping cuts as drivers of famine risk
Fletcher told the council that intensified fighting in multiple regions, combined with the drawdown of UN peacekeepers, is worsening humanitarian access and pushing the country toward famine. He said the situation could deteriorate rapidly without immediate intervention and sustained peacekeeping presence.
Over 7 million people already demand humanitarian aid in South Sudan
According to UN data cited in the briefing, more than 7 million people — about two-thirds of South Sudan’s population — require humanitarian assistance. Acute malnutrition rates are rising, particularly among children under five, with famine thresholds nearing in several counties.
For more on this story, see Sudan Health Crisis: WHO Warns of World’s Largest Humanitarian Emergency.
Humanitarian operations face funding shortfalls and access barriers
Aid agencies report that funding for the 2026 humanitarian response plan is at 42 percent of the $1.8 billion needed, limiting food distribution and health services. Insecurity and bureaucratic impediments have blocked access to over 60 percent of planned aid delivery points in the past month.
What is meant by ‘full-scale famine’?
According to the IPC famine classification, a full-scale famine occurs when at least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition exceeds 30 percent among children and death rates surpass two per 10,000 people per day due to starvation or disease.
Why is the UN peacekeeping mission being reduced?
The UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, is undergoing a mandated drawdown as part of a phased withdrawal approved by the Security Council, though officials have expressed concern that the timing risks worsening instability and humanitarian conditions.
