World Food Programme: New assessment confirms deteriorating food security across South Sudan; UN agencies urge scale up in assistance to stave off hunger (09.04.2022)

UN organizations are renewing the call for more humanitarian and livelihoods assistance to stave off looming hunger and enhance resilience.

JUBA, South Sudan, April 9, 2022 – Food insecurity is likely to rise by seven percent across South Sudan in the coming months, compared to last year, according to a new United Nations report on food security. UN organizations are renewing the call for more humanitarian and livelihoods assistance to stave off looming hunger and enhance resilience.

Climatic shocks (floods and droughts), conflict, economic downturn, displacement and disrupted livelihoods are driving the worsening trend in food security with 7.74 million people (62.7 percent of the population) across the country slated to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of acute food insecurity during the lean season between April and July 2022, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis.

The most affected states are Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria (Kapoeta East) and Warrap. More than 80 percent of the entire food-insecure population are from within these states.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warn that greater humanitarian assistance and livelihoods support is needed immediately to save lives and prevent the collapse of livelihoods in the worst-affected locations across South Sudan.

Those locations include Fangak, Canal/Pigi and Ayod counties in Jonglei State; Pibor County in Greater Pibor Administrative Area; Cueibet and Rumbek North counties in Lakes State; and Leer and Mayendit counties in Unity State where a combined total of 87 000 people are expected to be in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) acute food insecurity.

Recurring flooding creates new challenges

“FAO is concerned by the rising number of food-insecure people driven by the additional burden of heavy flooding that has occurred in the country for the last three consecutive years,” said Meshack Malo, FAO Representative in South Sudan.

“To tackle acute hunger, we need to produce more food where it is needed most. FAO will continue to provide seeds, tools and fishing kits to people in urgent need of assistance. We also need increased investment to allow us to find innovative ways to help South Sudanese farmers adapt to climate change so they can grow enough food to meet their nutritional requirements,” added Malo.

In response to flooding, FAO has been assisting vulnerable farmers to build dykes and water channels, providing trainings on eco-friendly best agricultural practices and post-harvest handling, and is also promoting increased use of flood-resistant food crops such as rice.

Children among the most affected by food insecurity

The IPC report shows that in 2022, about 1.34 million children under five years are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition based on the results of SMART nutrition surveys, the Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System (FSNMS) survey, and programme admission trends.

Children in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity and Western Bahr el Ghazal States are the most affected.

The major factors contributing to acute malnutrition include high prevalence of diseases such as diarrhea and inadequate feeding practices of infants and young children due to a lack of dietary diversity and infrequent meals.

“As access to those in need improves due to the peace process, we have been making significant progress in treating severe malnutrition in children, but floods and other climate-related shocks leave more children vulnerable. More than 90 percent of children under five put into therapeutic feeding programmes fully recover, and yet funding for this life-saving response is increasingly a challenge,” said Jesper Moller, Acting UNICEF Representative in South Sudan.

Increased assistance demonstrates results

The latest IPC report shows that in Pibor, where WFP was able to scale up its life-saving food and nutrition assistance throughout 2021, the number of people in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) declined from 33,000 in 2021 to less than 10,000 in 2022, showing the benefits of increased humanitarian food assistance.

Despite this improvement, the total number of projected food insecure people in South Sudan increased from 7.2 million in 2021 to 7.74 million in 2022. Three consecutive years of increased flooding, the loss of livelihoods, destruction of farmland and livestock and subsequent displacement have deepened the dire hunger crisis engulfing South Sudan, pushing millions into abject poverty as food becomes scarce and millions struggle to survive.

Without consistent humanitarian and agricultural assistance to help communities cope and tackle hunger by supporting those who grow their own food – severe humanitarian consequences are inevitable.

Urgent collective action needed to reduce hunger during the height of the lean season

“We are extremely concerned with the findings that point to a continued deterioration in the food security situation and a sharp rise in the number of people facing hunger,” said Adeyinka Badejo, Acting Country Director for WFP South Sudan.

“The 2022 IPC report represents a successful and collaborative multi-stakeholder process led by the Government of South Sudan. Its findings compel us all to take urgent steps to alleviate severe hunger and prevent a further deterioration in the coming months, while simultaneously building resilience to future shocks,” added Badejo.

FAO, UNICEF and WFP are united in their call for greater funding to allow for increased humanitarian assistance and emphasize the importance of the continued implementation of the peace agreement to address the root causes of insecurity across the country.

South Sudan: President Salva Kiir Mayardit – Remarks at the Launch of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing (CTRH) – (05.04.2022)

South Sudan: Unity State – Bentiu – Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports – Press Release (05.04.2022)

South Sudan: Jonglei State – Ayod County – Declaration of Allegiance from SPLM/A-IO to SPLM-IG (03.04.2022)

South Sudan: Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-(IO)) – Press Release (03.04.2022)

South Sudan: A new security pact signed today between the stakeholders of R-ARCSS

The peace parties have reached an agreement on the Command structure of the forces. The parties have signed a road map to chart a way forward for the implementation of security arrangements of the Revitalised peace Agreement” (Government of South Sudan, 03.04.2022).

Parties reach agreement on unified force command: Parties to R-ARCSS have agreed on command of unified forces mediated by Sudan govt current chair of IGAD. According to the deal President Kiir to make decree within a week to appoint new command members of all forces” (Juba Daily News, 03.04.2022).

SPLM-IG and Opposition (SPLM/A-IO and SSOA) agree to 60:40 allocation in unified military command structure following mediation by Sudan” (Radio Miraya, 03.04.2022).

After rising tensions and the SPLM/A-IO suspended participation in the R-JMEC and CTSAMM Technical Committee Meetings, as they felt violated by the recent actions of attacks on SPLM/A-IO bases in Upper Nile and Unity State. While there was also reports that the SPLM-IG had decree appointees without negotiations or talks with the other stakeholders.

Therefore, today is a settlement after President Salva Kiir Mayardit did that and Dr. Riek Machar removed himself from the 2018 R-ARCSS agreement. This was clearly done in a move to show seriousness and such. While it was also frightening to see that Dr. Machar’s house was sealed off and he seemed to be house-arrested too. It was not giving hope of a peace-agreement or working together.

Its good news that the parties went together to Khartoum and found common-grounds. As they have yet another agreement and deal to uphold. These have signed so many declarations, agreements and such. That they have so stipulations and articles to adhere too. While the R-ARCSS isn’t getting any closer to fulfilment and will most likely postpone beyond the due-date. Therefore, the stakeholders needs to be calm and work collectively.

The President and First Vice President haven’t won here. They have just ensure the fragile peace and that they still don’t trust each other. That’s why Dr. Machar went to ask for mediation and secured that in Khartoum. While someone was able to leak the reports of the former planned coup d’etat’s that lead to civil war in the past.

This is why the parties, the stakeholders and everyone else has to focus and find measures that they all approve off. The Presidential Decrees and one-man ordering the state cannot work. Especially, when there is so many parties involved and they all want a piece. This is man-eat-man society and also “my turn to eat” syndrome. As the longevity isn’t in the picture, but the current affairs.

While this has salvaged the R-ARCSS and possibly gotten SPLM/A-IO back to the table. There is still many hurdles ahead and it is seemingly very easy to revolt or resist participation. That should worry anyone and the gun-slingers would be easy to order to the front.

This is why today’s agreement is important, but also show the selfishness of everyone involved. They are still staking out for positions and not for building directly institutions. It is still the “mine, mine, mine” sentiment and that’s not just the opposition, but everyone. As it has to be written and ensured. In such a manner that one party has to suspend and stop the works of all bodies to ensure the R-ARCSS gets implemented. Which we for certain can say will not be on time, but will be prolonged. The agony of not having willing hands to build the state, but only self-interest is clear by the day. That’s what the stakeholders are showing the world and their own citizens too. This is what they are fighting for and willing to jeopardize a fragile peace deal for. Peace.

South Sudan: A Joint Press Statement – AUMISS, UNMISS, IGAD and RJMEC Appeal for Calm and Urge South Sudanese Leaders to Pursue Dialogue and Complete Implementation of the R-ARCSS (01.04.2022)

South Sudan: Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-(IO)) – Press Release (30.03.2022)

South Sudan: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Urgent funding needed to address the humanitarian needs of 6.8 million people in South Sudan in 2022 (31.03.2022)

South Sudan: Intelligence Report is blaming Machar for two coup attempts in the past

Just as the tensions are running high in Juba. There Declassified Report from the South Sudan Intelligence is leaked online. What it is stating is significant and speaks volume of how things are working.

Not that the report from the South Sudan was shocking. Neither was the timelines and what was in the leaked report. It was more dropping some more insights and such. That’s why I am only dropping parts of the Conclusions. As the reports itself is digestible and it’s not a hard read.

It is interesting timing of the leak and when it went online. Just as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – (In Opposition) (SPLM/A-IO) have ceased participation with the NTC and R-JMEC. So, the President and SPLM-IG has addressed it too. Therefore, it has to be some underlying reasons for the leak and revealing this report.

That’s why I am handling the report with caution. Since, the tensions between Kiir and Machar is escalating and they need to sit-down. There is a need to talk and settle the scores. Instead of creating space to compete on the battlefield. These two has fought in a civil war before… and we don’t need to see them order and decree a new war.

However… here is the vital parts of the conclusions of the report.

Conclusion Coup Number 1 – 2013:

In contrast, the opposition made no attempt to return the goodwill or to progress efforts to stabilise South Sudan. At each stage of the peace negotiations, the primary goal of the opposition led by Riek Machar was to undermine the government and to overthrow President Kiir. These efforts were concretely put in motion with military assistance from foreign entities and continuous attempts to delay, stall and compromise peace efforts. Ultimately, Riek Machar’s signature of ARCSS in August 2015 was triggered only by internal factions within SPLM/A-IO and not by a genuine attempt to power share as evidenced by his own words a month before on 8 July 2015 when he declared that should President Kiir not resign then the “citizens have every right to rise up and overthrow his regime”. This imbalance of efforts was overlooked by the international community and the opposition gained significant traction as Riek Machar was provided with extensive powers as First Vice-President in 2016. Yet even then, Riek Machar was still plotting to overthrow President Kiir in furtherance of his own grand ambitions to be President of the Republic of South Sudan. This culminated in the attempted coup on 8 July 2016” (South Sudan Intelligence Report, 2022).

Conclusion Coup Number 2 – 2016:

Following his return to Juba in April 2016, Riek Machar purported to promote peace, unity and solidarity with the government. On 8 May 2016, he called for “forgiveness and reconciliation in South Sudan”.291 On 22 May 2016, Riek Machar attended prayers at a predominantly ethnic Dinka church on Sunday, telling the congregation “that peace and reconciliation will enable national healing and ensure stability.”292 He even took on more responsibility in his role as First Vice-President and on 5 June 2016, he took charge of the file for the implementation of the September 2012 cooperation agreements between South Sudan and Sudan, with consensus from President Kiir. However, the evidence from telephone intercepted communications from the same period reveal that Riek Machar as First Vice President of the Transitional Government of National Unity plotted a coup to seize power on 8 July 2016 to fulfil his ambition to become the President of South Sudan. Whilst he was presenting a unified front for the international community, in the background he was at the same time preparing forces in support of the SPLM/A-IO to carry out the coup and used support from a foreign government, the Republic of the Sudan, to provide his forces with the necessary arms and ammunition. As the coup failed at its first attempt during his meeting with President Salva Kiir and Second Vice President James Wanni Igga in the President’s office, Riek Machar never returned to resume the reconciliation talks that had been taking place between the leaders of the TGoNU. Instead, he continued the conflict that caused great loss of life including the deaths of civilians, knowing from his experience over many years of conflicts in South Sudan and Sudan that such killings were bound to take place” (South Sudan Intelligence Report, 2022).

With all of this in mind. We just have to follow Juba and what these two decides to do. It becomes like this… when the R-ARCSS is failing. The SPLM/A-IO or SPLM-IG has to figure out their way forward. Hopefully without ordering war and sending the youth to fight their battles.

President Kiir and First Vice President Machar needs to do the right thing. There is stipulations and protocols for them to follow. They need to find the mechanisms and the forums to find the way of solving this. Because, we can worry that this become to hot and fragile. We know these two can order and fix it.

Machar can be the fall guy for the past transgressions, but we don’t know who ordered the attacks on the bases in Upper Nile and Unity State. As well, as putting Machar under house arrest. While his been asking IGAD to intervene and help out with the lack of progress. The SPLM-IG and SPLM/A-IO needs to find ways to resolve this. I am not saying that is easy and the egos have to be humbled. They need to humiliate themselves and carry possible losses. That for the betterment of the Republic and not over pitiful appointments or transgressions of late. Yes, that is painful, but these are men who can usher in peace in South Sudan.

These two men can be the first to ensure peace and stability in Juba. They can be known for finding peace and creating institutions in the Republic. That’s what they can be known for… but decreeing guns and conflict will only cause more pain and suffering. Which these two should avoid like the plague. Peace.