The United Nations has launched South Sudan’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) while warning that humanitarian conditions in the country remain severe, with more than 10 million people expected to be in need of assistance this year.
The plan, presented Tuesday in Juba by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), seeks more than USD 1 billion to support life-saving assistance, while focusing on four million people facing the most urgent humanitarian risks.
Speaking at the launch, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Anita Kiki Gbeho said the scale of need continues to rise due to conflict, economic hardship, climate-related shocks and the spillover of the war in neighbouring Sudan.
“Despite receiving only 43 percent of the requested funding, we reached about 4 million people out of the original target of 5.4 million with lifesaving assistance. This included food, health, water, sanitation, hygiene, education, livelihoods, nutrition, and protection support,” she said. “Together, we also stabilised the largest cholera outbreak on record with over 96,000 cases.”
Gbeho noted that last year was particularly challenging as renewed political tensions restricted access for aid agencies and worsened living conditions for millions.
According to OCHA projections, about 7.5 million people could face acute food insecurity in 2026, including at least 28,000 already classified in catastrophic conditions. The response plan prioritises reducing preventable deaths, addressing protection risks and strengthening community resilience.
For her part, Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de-Mabior called for stronger coordination, preparedness and shared responsibility in addressing South Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, saying the country cannot rely on emergency aid alone.
She thanked the UN, humanitarian agencies and donors for standing with South Sudan under difficult circumstances and urged government institutions to improve planning, coordination and service delivery so assistance reaches people faster and with dignity.
“We are here to focus on humanitarian needs and preparedness on response and how we coordinate better so that help reaches people faster and with dignity,” she stated.
Nyandeng stressed that although South Sudan faces widespread suffering, the country has significant natural resources, including fertile land and water, which should be better utilised to reduce dependency on aid.
The vice president reaffirmed her openness to collaboration with humanitarian partners and government institutions, calling for honest dialogue, unity and commitment to easing suffering and restoring hope.
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Albino Akol Atak, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to humanitarian action, saying the 2026 plan represents a shift toward more targeted and accountable assistance.
“We all know that South Sudan continues to face a humanitarian crisis driven by conflict and climate shocks, which bring disasters every year in terms of floods and disease outbreaks, which lead to economic hardships,” he said. “This moment also brings an opportunity to focus and strengthen the way humanitarian assistance is delivered.”
He said the government will continue to invest in basic services, improve humanitarian access by removing illegal checkpoints, ensure the safety of aid workers, and strengthen coordination, while supporting durable solutions for displaced people and returnees.
For her part, Rose Abuk, Executive Director of the Women Agency for Resilience Transformation (WAT), speaking on behalf of national and international NGOs, warned that South Sudan’s humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate amid conflict, displacement, climate shocks, and shrinking access to basic services, with women and children bearing the brunt of the crisis.
“This is not merely a planning document; it is a reflection of realities and our collective resolve and test to whether the government, with the support of the international community, can rise to meet the moment of the escalating needs under increasingly constrained conditions to deliver on their mandate to serve the people of South Sudan,” she stated.
Abuk also warned of widening funding gaps, urging donors to increase not only the volume but the quality of funding through flexible, predictable, and multi-year financing.
She further urged the government to uphold its responsibility to protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and safeguard aid workers, stressing that effective humanitarian action requires strong leadership, accountability, and partnership. Radio Tamazuj
