The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Assistant to the Administrator for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) visited South Sudan September 9-11 and announced an additional $100 million in U.S. government humanitarian food assistance for the South Sudanese people.
Sonali Korde visited key humanitarian project sites and met with senior officials, diplomatic missions, the leadership of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and implementing partners,” a Wednesday press statement from the U.S. Embassy in Juba said.
“This additional life-saving humanitarian assistance – made possible through a partnership between USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – will provide nearly 42,000 metric tons of assistance to approximately one million people experiencing acute food insecurity,” the statement reads in part. “This brings the total U.S. government humanitarian assistance to South Sudan to nearly $609 million in Fiscal Year 2024.”
“Ending humanitarian crisis in South Sudan requires urgent action,” it added.
According to the U.S. Embassy, this includes the transitional government doing its part and transparently allocating the use of public revenue for humanitarian response and to address other basic public needs.
“South Sudan is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for humanitarian aid workers. The transitional government must also address the unacceptably high safety and security risks faced by UN agencies, NGO partners, and local communities,” the statement said. “Peace is a critical element in preventing increased humanitarian crisis. The Embassy welcomes the Tumaini Initiative talks in Nairobi and urges all signatories to the 2018 peace agreement as well as non-signatories to take advantage of this opportunity to advance peace.”
The mission also said that it is essential that interparty direct talks take place at the leadership level in Juba as well.