South Sudan’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has issued an urgent plea for $358 million in funding to assist individuals displaced by the conflict in Sudan.
The clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have displaced nearly 300,000 people into South Sudan.
During a press conference in Juba on Thursday, Minister Albino Akol Atak highlighted the severity of the situation, with nearly 300,000 people displaced into South Sudan due to confrontations between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
He cautioned that this number could increase to half a million, all of whom would require immediate humanitarian support.
Akol said the government and humanitarian agencies set up a humanitarian pool when the crisis in Sudan started in mid-April to respond to the needs and the costs of operation.
Initially, the government and its partners required $96 million for the first three months of response efforts. However, after a comprehensive review, it was determined that $358 million would be needed to ensure sufficient intervention through the end of the year.
The South Sudanese government has taken action by allocating $5.3 million for humanitarian response over a three-month period. Additionally, they have approved an additional $10 million to cover expenses related to transit sites, transportation, the integration process for returnees, and the settlement of refugees.
Minister Akol emphasized that the influx of displaced persons due to the Sudan crisis exacerbates the already dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan.
Even before this influx, the country faced the challenge of providing aid to 9.4 million people in need, which included 300,000 returnees who had voluntarily come back from neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia due to relative peace in South Sudan.