On the occasion to mark World Food Day which is globally commemorated on 16 October, the United States of America Embassy has called on the Transitional Government to take action to support Food Security in South Sudan.
According to a press statement from the embassy on Tuesday, as in prior years-as many as 9 million people in South Sudan are experiencing acute food insecurity.
“This is both tragic and unnecessary, as South Sudan has plentiful fertile and arable land,” the statement reads in part. “Over the past year, the American people have provided over $600 million in humanitarian assistance to help people in South Sudan.”
“Most recently, in September, we announced an additional $100 million in food assistance, which will deliver 42,000 metric tons of food to approximately 1 million people facing acute food insecurity in South Sudan in the coming months,” it added.
According to the statement, while climate shocks have contributed to the humanitarian crisis, many of the causes of food insecurity are in the hands of the South Sudanese leaders to address.
“These include conflict, economic volatility, and corruption,” the statement said. “We call on the transitional government to act with urgency to respond to the needs of the South Sudanese people, by addressing the causes of humanitarian crisis in their country, including through the transparent use of public revenue to support food security.”