NGOs in South Sudan appeal for funding to support rising humanitarian needs due to Sudan crisis

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Juba, 03 May 2023: The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as more people flee the fighting in Sudan, with several thousand individuals, mainly returnees and refugees, crossing over to South Sudanese border areas (as per IOM/UNHCR Population Movement from Sudan to South Sudan).

Despite efforts by IOM, UNHCR and some NGOs at the border areas to keep track of the people entering South Sudan in dire need of assistance, the NGO community is expressing worries that the number is already over 50,000 and more people are arriving than agencies are projecting. NGOs fear that the situation is likely to exacerbate the worrying humanitarian situation where an estimated 9.4 million people in South Sudan, including 2.2 million women, 4.9 million children and 337,000 refugees, are projected to need humanitarian assistance and protection services as per the South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan 2023.

The humanitarian community in South Sudan is appealing to donors and all the relevant stakeholders to provide support for humanitarian agencies to respond to the needs of the individuals arriving daily and to mitigate a likely humanitarian catastrophe.

“We appeal to donors to support NGOs to assist those fleeing the crisis in Sudan, including vulnerable women and children. Please, support the NGOs’ efforts to save lives and alleviate the suffering of persons looking for safety,” Cissy Kagaba, South Sudan NGO Forum Secretariat Director, says.

“The NGOs in South Sudan welcomed the extension of ceasefire for seven days by parties to the conflict and stress pursuance of peaceful means of solving the differences,” she says.

NGOs with limited resources are actively working with the UN partners and the South Sudan government to respond to the needs of those arriving at the border entry points of Western Bahr el Ghazal, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Unity State while actively participating in the joint response plan.

Most of the persons seeking safety are South Sudanese nationals who are expected to join their relatives in different parts of the country, which will worsen the already dire humanitarian situation with an estimated 7.8 million people (63% of the South Sudan population) likely to face a crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity between April to July 2023. If humanitarian supplies, including food items, are not provided, this will heighten the current drivers of food insecurity, risking famine in areas where large populations are experiencing severe food insecurity.

In addition, the onset of the rainy season will impact operations in areas prone to flooding, yet these areas continue to receive refugees and returnees daily.

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For further information, please contact; director@southsudanngoforum.org and
comms-officer@southsudanngoforum.org

NGOs in South Sudan appeal for funding to support rising humanitarian needs due to Sudan crisis
Source: Philippines Legacy PH