'7.8m people face acute food insecurity in South Sudan'
NEW YORK: International organisations warned that the escalating hunger crisis in South Sudan will push 7.8 million people into high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2026.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) stated in their latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report that this figure represents 56% of the total population and is among the highest levels of acute food insecurity currently recorded globally.
The report explained that 73,300 people are facing the "catastrophe" phase (Phase 5 of the IPC, the most severe level of acute food insecurity), adding that this figure represents a staggering 160% increase compared to previous estimates.
It also noted that 2.5 million people are living in the "emergency" phase (Phase 4 of the IPC), while 5.3 million people are living in the "crisis" phase (Phase 3 of the IPC).
The three UN agencies stated that this crisis is exacerbated by escalating conflicts, mass displacement, economic decline, climate shocks, flooding, and below-normal agricultural production levels, which contribute to reduced food availability and limit families' ability to access sufficient food.
The IPC report is a global initiative involving UN agencies, regional partners, and aid organisations. It classifies food insecurity into five phases, with famine being the most severe.
By RSS/QNA
