South Sudan emergency

“The journey was so hard. The sun was very hot and we had trouble finding food and water. Our uncle decided to turn back but we continued on because we wanted to go to school.”

Kenyi, 17, is among more than 5,000 unaccompanied South Sudanese refugee children who have arrived in Uganda

The situation in South Sudan and neighbouring countries has escalated into a full-blown humanitarian emergency. After nearly a decade of conflict and despite efforts toward implementing the peace agreement, South Sudan continues to grapple with sporadic violence, chronic food insecurity and the devastating impact of major flooding.  Although we are doing all we can to provide relief and life-saving shelter with limited resources, displacement in the region is expected to continue until a political solution is found.

Most refugees are women and children, many of whom flee across the border alone. Often, they arrive weak and malnourished. When the rainy season comes, their needs are compounded by flooding, food shortages and disease.

Inside South Sudan, around two million people are displaced while outside the country there are now over two million South Sudanese refugees – making it the largest refugee population in the region - mainly hosted in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda. Many live in precarious conditions, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the looming drought and food insecurity. 

For information on UNHCR's operational response, budgets and funding, please visit the South Sudan page on Global Focus.