［South Sudan］SOUTH SUDAN CURRENT HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
South Sudan’s current humanitarian situation is catastrophic. The political settings have deteriorated significantly, and left the economy in turmoil. On March 6th, in the Upper Nile State, Nasir and Ulang Counties exchanged hands numerous times between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and White Army (WA), mixed with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO). This led to the displacement of over 83,000 civilians to neighboring countries like Ethiopia and Sudan (UNOCHA report, July 2025). The United Nations Human Rights Report (Jan -July, 2025) indicated that many human rights violations were committed during this period, with civilians’ houses torched, properties looted, and some civilians lost their lives during the conflict. On March 26, the chairman of SPLM-IO, the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar Teny, was placed under house arrest alongside seven other political members from the opposition party. This made the political landscape dangerous, especially in Juba and the Upper Nile State.
The South Sudan humanitarian situation has dwindled. With the surge of armed conflicts in Western Equatoria State (WES), Upper Nile State (UNS), Western Bahr el Ghazal State (WBS), and Greater Jonglei State between SSPDF and SPLM-IO on one hand, and cattle raiding, revenge killings and child abduction on the other (UNICEF reports: July 2025). These senseless conflicts have displaced over 355,000 civilians across South Sudan since January this year. With these situations unfolding, livelihoods are disrupted, resulting in acute malnutrition among children and starvation. To make it shoddier, the outbreak of cholera has added more salt to the existing wounds: In Lafon and Magwi counties, Eastern Equatoria State, Rubkona county and in Upper Nile State, Mayendit in Unity State and Abyei for instance, reported at least 87,087 cases, with 1,513 deaths reported. Contrary to this, the seasonal flooding this year displaced at least 122,000 civilians in Greater Jonglei State and Unity State, respectively. The reports projected that about 1.6 M people will be affected by floods before the end of 2025. Reports further vindicated that an additional 400,000 or more will be displaced by an increase in the level of flooding in these two States.
Based on the current humanitarian situation in South Sudan, humanitarian organizations cautioned that the flooding would cause unprecedented effects on farms and a probable displacement of civilians from Bor, Alali, Pochalla, Fangak, and Akobo in Jonglei State, and Mayendit and Panyijier in Unity State. Due to rising conflicts in South Sudan and in the Sudan, the situation of refugees, returnees and IDPs will increase significantly. In the Gorom refugee settlement, for instance, the population of the refugee settlement swelled from 16,000 previously to over 22,000. This happened when a massive number of about 6,800 refugees arrived from Sudan in January this year. Gorom refugee settlement is inhabited by Anyuak from Ethiopia, Burundians, Sudanese, and Congolese from the DRC.
Bearing all these challenges in mind, PEACE WINDS has been supporting 18,400 refugees in the Gorom refugee settlement by providing Health and Nutrition services through UNHCR-supported funding. The support rendered to the Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) at Gorom refugee settlement is vehement, not only in saving lives but reducing mortality cases. Equally important is that the supply of clean water leads to a reduction of diseases like cholera or dysentery, which are already spreading in South Sudan. As stressed in the previous paragraph. All these projects depend on the UNHCR grant, which will end in December 2025. However, the continuation of these projects beyond this period remains uncertain, as funding prospects for 2026 are still unclear.
In summary, the humanitarian situation in South Sudan is dire, given the ongoing conflicts, coupled with the expanding conflict in Sudan. As the number of refugees keeps increasing, critical services like shelter, health Care facilities, and clean water are fundamental. It is against this backdrop that PEACE WINDS appeals to international donors not to forget the South Sudanese, especially the IDPs, Returnees and Refugees.