South Sudan faces a severe, multidimensional humanitarian crisis. Protracted armed conflict, localized intercommunal violence, climate shocks including floods and droughts, economic instability including hyper-inflation, and spillover from the war in Sudan have disrupted livelihoods, services, and social cohesion (OCHA 2025). As of mid-2025, over 1.9 million people are internally displaced (DTM 2025), with 2.3 million refugees in neighbouring countries (ECHO 2025). Approximately 9.3 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 7.7 million food-insecure during lean months and 2.3 million children at risk of acute malnutrition (IPC 2025). The states with the most severe needs are Upper Nile, Unity, Jonglei, and the contested Abyei Administrative Area. These states are conflict and flood-affected, with Upper Nile and Unity also receiving influx of returnees from Sudan, and host the largest, most protracted internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the country. However, the security situation is extremely fragile, and unrest could occur across the country in 2026, including in Western and Central Equatoria. Mobile rapid response capacity that can deliver a response wherever it is needed is as critical as ever in South Sudan.

Protection risks remain high across South Sudan, with widespread sub-national violence, abductions, and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) affecting women, girls, and children (UNMISS 2025). Humanitarian access is constrained by insecurity, flooding, and infrastructure damage. The situation requires continued, large-scale international, lifesaving humanitarian aid, especially as the country navigates a volatile security landscape.

• Over 7.5 million people are expected to face worse levels of hunger in 2026.
• Over 1 million people are affected by floods
• Over 1.9 million people are internally displaced