South Sudan
Washington, D.C. – The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) is ringing alarm bells about the ongoing risk of Famine (IPC Phase 5) in Upper Nile State, South Sudan, where extremely high levels of hunger, malnutrition, and mortality are being reported.
In an Alert issued Tuesday, FEWS NET warned that a Famine (IPC Phase 5) scenario could emerge in Luakpiny/Nasir (Nasir) and Ulang counties of South Sudan if the combined effects of seasonal flooding and a resurgence of violence further isolate people from obtaining food.
“The escalation of violent conflict in early 2025 displaced thousands of people, disrupted access to food sources including humanitarian food aid, and further fueled an ongoing cholera outbreak,” FEWS NET spokesperson Hannah Button said. “Hunger-related deaths are already occurring in South Sudan. The global community must act swiftly to prevent further loss of life and to ensure that already dire levels of acute hunger do not worsen.”
Disease and acute food insecurity are critically interacting in Nasir and Ulang counties, the combination of which is contributing to high rates of acute malnutrition amid high case fatality rates from cholera.
In Nasir, the food consumption and acute malnutrition thresholds for Famine (IPC Phase 5) may have already been surpassed. Conditions in inaccessible areas are largely unknown, but it is likely that the severity of acute food insecurity is similar to or worse than what is being observed in accessible areas.
“FEWS NET’s interviews of key informants in Nasir and Ulang and data from our partners confirm what we reported in June: People are facing significant challenges to access food in these parts of South Sudan,” Button said. “We are concerned about the upcoming rainy season, which is forecast to be above average. Communicable disease transmission typically surges during the rainy season, and due to looting and violence, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and health services in parts of Upper Nile State have been decimated.”
Displacement and the arrival of refugees and returnees from Sudan into areas with extremely poor WASH facilities are fueling a worsening cholera outbreak. In July, case fatality rates in Nasir and Ulang were 7.8 percent and 2.6 percent respectively, far exceeding the 1% threshold that is considered a marker for effective control of cholera outbreaks.
FEWS NET is urging government authorities and humanitarian actors to urgently restore safe access corridors, dramatically scale up multisectoral assistance delivery, and bolster disease surveillance and treatment capacity.