South Sudan needs more than a billion dollars to avert crisis in 2013
The international agencies which work with South Sudan’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs launched an appeal to raise US$1.16 billion to ease foreseen shortages next year.
Toby Lanzer, who acts as the Chief humanitarian official for both the United Nations’ agencies and other non-governmental organisations, launched the appeal saying it was needed to meet urgent humanitarian needs and boost help to the most vulnerable”.
We must act now to save lives and secure a better tomorrow.”
The negative impacts of flooding, the nation’s financial struggle and insecurity means the humanitarian crisis is expected to worsen next year, he added. Nearly 2.4 million people suffered food insecurity this year as a consequence of insecurity and flooding last year. We must act now to save lives and secure a better tomorrow,” he said.
Serious floodings this year have destroyed vital crops and displaced people, said Humanitarian Affairs Minister Joseph Lual. At least 260,000 people have been affected by flooding this year three times the number affected last year, he said, adding that the situation in South Sudan remained fragile”.
Toby Lanzer displays the report, November 28.
The United Nations anticipates an influx of 350,000 refugees mainly from Sudan and few others from the Democratic Republic of Congo, (DRC) and Ethiopia next year.
Nearly 200,000 other refugees have already arrived in the country as a result of civil war between the Sudanese government and the SPLM-North in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. With the approach of dry season Lanzer said more refugees are expected to arrive as fighting is expected to increase.
A well coordinated response in 2013 will ensure that communities struck by crisis get the best available protection and assistance on time,” said Lanzer. Planning is key to effective humanitarian response.”
He said accessing funding in advance would enable aid workers to pre-position emergency supplies in deep field locations during the dry season, thereby saving lives. During the rainy season up to 60 percent of the country is inaccessible.
He said the appeal will tackle basic needs such as education, health, food security and livelihoods and will also facilitate coordination and common services, logistics, water, sanitation and hygiene.
Although the 16 months since independence have seen much progress in our young nation, we will need to work together to meet the needs of all people in the country,” Lual said.
We will need to work together to meet the needs of all people in the country.”
We will welcome and facilitate the critical work of non-governmental organisations and UN agencies here,” he added.
The UN predicts 40 percent of the country’s estimated eight million people will suffer of food insecurity next year.
The South Sudanese Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Kosti Manibe told reporters last week in Juba that, if oil flow fails to resume this year as planned, the government will continue to impose extensive austerity measures, thus increasing the vulnerability of many South Sudanese.
