Two counties in South Sudan are about to face famine, and fighting threatens to destroy a peace deal that’s kept the country stable for seven years, UN agencies warned today, according to the original press release. The hunger crisis has exploded in recent months – 32,000 people now face the worst levels of starvation, nearly triple earlier estimates. More than half the country, about 7.7 million people, won’t have enough food this year, making this one of the world’s worst hunger emergencies.
Violence in Upper Nile State has crushed communities that were already struggling to survive. When fighting starts, it doesn’t just destroy homes – it cuts people off from food markets, drives up prices, and forces families to abandon their crops during planting season. The country has 2.3 million malnourished children, up from 2.1 million just since January.
The World Food Programme’s Mary-Ellen McGroarty explained how quickly war destroys lives. “Conflict doesn’t just destroy homes and livelihoods, it tears communities apart, cuts off access to markets, and sends food prices spiralling upward,” she said. Areas without fighting have actually improved their food security through better farming and aid delivery.
South Sudan has barely known peace since becoming independent in 2011. A brutal civil war ended in 2018 when rival politicians signed a peace agreement that mostly held together. But recent attacks and political tensions in Upper Nile State could unravel years of progress toward stability.
Aid workers are racing to reach starving families before it’s too late, but violence keeps blocking their path. McGroarty stressed the urgency: “Long-term peace is essential, but right now, it is critical our teams are able to access and safely distribute food to families caught in conflict in Upper Nile, to bring them back from the brink and prevent famine.”
