By Deng Machol
JUBA — Facing deepening conflict, climate shocks and mounting economic strain, the Government of South Sudan and its humanitarian partners recently launched a $1.5 billion response plan aimed at delivering life-saving assistance to millions, as more than 10 million people are projected to need aid in 2026.
Working with the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, the government unveiled the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) in Juba, targeting 4.3 million of the country’s most vulnerable people, including refugees, amid warnings that humanitarian conditions remain dire.
Authorities said the plan prioritises communities hardest hit by conflict and recurrent flooding, with a strong focus on acute food insecurity, protection risks and public health emergencies.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 7.5 million people could face acute food insecurity in 2026, including at least 28,000 already classified in catastrophic conditions.
UN Humanitarian Coordinator Anita Kiki Gbeho said rising humanitarian needs are being driven by persistent conflict, economic hardship, climate-related shocks and the spillover effects of the war in neighbouring Sudan.
“Despite receiving only 43 percent of the funding requested last year, we were able to reach about 4 million people with life-saving assistance,” Gbeho said, noting support across food aid, health care, water and sanitation, nutrition, education and protection services.
She added that humanitarian partners also helped contain the largest cholera outbreak on record in South Sudan, which surpassed 96,000 cases.
South Sudan’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Albino Akol Atak, acknowledged the severity of the crisis but said the new plan seeks to move beyond short-term emergency relief.
“This response plan is guided by clear priorities, including targeting the most vulnerable—particularly those facing extreme food insecurity, protection threats and health emergencies in flood- and conflict-affected areas,” Atak said. “Resilience means strengthening people’s capacity to adapt to hardship and become productive, rather than leaving them trapped in vulnerability.”
Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de-Mabior called for stronger coordination and preparedness, warning that South Sudan cannot depend indefinitely on emergency aid. She thanked donors and humanitarian partners for their continued support and urged government institutions to improve planning and service delivery to ensure assistance reaches people faster and with dignity.
“While suffering is widespread, South Sudan is endowed with fertile land and abundant water resources that must be better utilised to reduce long-term dependency on aid,” Nyandeng said, reaffirming her commitment to closer collaboration with humanitarian partners.
Meanwhile, non-governmental organisations cautioned that conditions on the ground continue to deteriorate, with women and children bearing the heaviest burden amid ongoing conflict, displacement and shrinking access to basic services.
