The United Nations agencies will need funding to a tune of $1.7 billion to provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable in South Sudan next year.
This was revealed on Tuesday by Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.
“The plan seeks US $1.7 billion to provide life-saving assistance and livelihood support to 6.8 million of the most vulnerable people affected by conflict, climatic shocks and protracted displacement across the country,” said Nyanti in a statement issued in Juba detailing the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan.
She said the launch of the humanitarian response plan stems from months of consultations and planning by humanitarians to ensure that they respond to people’s needs in the face of competing global emergencies and dwindling funding.
“The people of South Sudan deserve more, and not just efforts that allow them to survive,” said Nyanti.
She said they are prioritizing among others sustaining their response to people with urgent humanitarian and protection needs, especially women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
“Humanitarian partners need unimpeded and safe access to deliver timely and essential life-saving assistance. We also need urgent funding to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation,” said Nyanti.
“I thank our donors, humanitarian partners and government counterparts for their support in 2022. We will continue to build bridges between short-term assistance, medium-term outcomes, and longer-term impact in 2023. But we need the violence to stop so that the people of South Sudan can rebuild their lives,” she added.
Nyanti noted that the most vulnerable have inspired them with their resilience and hope, adding that they need support to help shift their hope into a reality.
Endemic violence, ongoing conflict and floods continue to increase people’s vulnerabilities. Over two thirds of South Sudan’s population will need some form of humanitarian and protection assistance in 2023.
The humanitarian coordinator warned that eight million people may be severely food-insecure at the peak of the lean season between April and July.
Women and girls are likely to continue to be at risk of being attacked while carrying out their daily routines as they take care of their families, and children may not have access to education. Lifesaving health services risk not being accessible to millions of people.
The lack of proper water, sanitation and hygiene services may lead to more infectious diseases and malnutrition.
