WFP scales up emergency response in South Sudan as catastrophic hunger and malnutrition deepen
Het Wereldvoedselprogramma van de Verenigde Naties (WFP) heeft zijn noodhulp in Akobo East, een regio in het oosten van Zuid-Soedan, fors opgevoerd en levert essentiële voedsel- en voedingshulp aan honderdduizenden mensen die er te kampen hebben met catastrofale hongersnood en ondervoeding. Bovendien blijven onveiligheid, schade aan de infrastructuur en het begin van het regenseizoen de hulpoperaties fel bemoeilijken. Sinds de burgeroorlog in Zuid-Soedan opnieuw oplaaide, is de hongersnood er niet meer te overzien. Toch kan de VN nauwelijks beantwoorden aan de gigantische behoeften omdat de rest van de wereld liever de andere kant opkijkt of geld aan wapens spendeert.
Akobo East is een administratieve aanduiding binnen het Akobo-district in de staat Jonglei in Zuid-Soedan. De regio ligt in het uiterste oosten van Zuid-Soedan, direct grenzend aan Ethiopië, en wordt door de rivier de Akobo doorsneden.
Het gebied is al vaak het toneel geweest van humanitaire uitdagingen, voedselonzekerheid en diverse gewapende conflicten. Vanwege de zeer afgelegen ligging is de bevolking (grotendeels behorend tot de Lou Nuer) er sterk afhankelijk van noodhulp. Bovendien zijn er grote vluchtelingenkampen met mensen die de oorlogen in Ethiopië, Soedan en Eritrea zijn ontvlucht.
WFP is delivering vital food and nutritional assistance to hundreds of thousands of people in Akobo East, as insecurity, infrastructure damage and the onset of the rainy season hamper operations.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has scaled-up its emergency response in Akobo East, South Sudan, delivering vital food and nutrition assistance to hundreds of thousands of people facing catastrophic hunger and malnutrition, even as insecurity, infrastructure damage and the onset of the rainy season continue to hamper operations.
“The situation is critical and demands immediate attention to save lives of people who desperately need assistance,” said Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director in South Sudan.
“Our hope is to continue to reach people in need. Sustained safety and security of humanitarians and humanitarian cargo is therefore crucial to allow us to ramp up assistance and effectively reach all those in need.”
Here are the latest updates on food security and WFP operations in Akobo, South Sudan
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update, parts of Akobo County are experiencing IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) – one of four counties at risk of famine if conditions deteriorate.
An estimated 97,000 people are projected to face IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), 85,000 Phase 4 (Emergency), and 12,000 Phase 5 (Catastrophe) through July 2026.
The malnutrition crisis has worsened to IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5 (Extremely Critical), driven by displacement, loss of livelihoods, disruption to health and nutrition services, and increased disease risks due to overcrowding.
Severe malnutrition among children under 5 and breastfeeding mothers is rising sharply, fuelling fears of famine-like conditions developing in the region.
Ongoing conflict has already displaced approximately 142,000 individuals from Akobo County and surrounding areas, with 100,000 having crossed into neighbouring Ethiopia.
The collapse of local markets due to conflict and looting has severely restricted access to food supplies.
WFP operations in Akobo
Since launching its emergency response in May 2026, WFP has reached more than 60,000 vulnerable people in Akobo including:
- More than 15,000 people with emergency food assistance;
- Close to 6,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women with nutrition commodities and
- Over 30,000 people with High Energy Biscuits (HEB), a vital source of nutrition for people on the move.
More than 6,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women with specialized nutritious foods – part of a blanket supplementary feeding programme.
WFP and partners have also conducted nutrition screenings for 15,000 children and admitted 3,000 children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
WFP’s supply chain coordination and delivery continues to enable the scale up, including:
- Delivery of 25 metric tons of fortified biscuits and specialised nutritious foods, including airlifting 14.5 metric tons to frontline warehouses;
- Transport of 300 metric tons of mixed commodities for General food assistance and Nutrition to Akobo by air;
- A 33-truck convoy from WFP and the Logistics Cluster to deliver over 200 metric tons of food assistance, nutrition supplies, and 100 metric tons of relief items. This may be the final road convoy before heavy rains render key roads impassable;
- More than 60 flights by WFP Aviation including airdrops, airlifts, and UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) passenger flights transporting 430 MT of critical assistance. UNHAS has also transported more than 200 aid workers into and out of the area. Increasing WFP-managed UNHAS flights three times per week.
During the rainy season, when overland transport becomes unfeasible, WFP will continue supporting Akobo through air deliveries to ensure uninterrupted food assistance.
Challenges and funding requirements
While access in Akobo has recently improved, delivering life-saving assistance has relied heavily on costly air operations due to persistent insecurity.
The risk of renewed fighting is real. We need hostilities to end and humanitarians must have continued secure access to ensure civilians can safely receive vital assistance.
The sustained and consistent delivery of critical services and support to communities is paramount for recovery and rebuilding livelihoods.
WFP is deeply concerned about the many vulnerable people trapped in inaccessible regions, where hunger and malnutrition are likely to worsen during the fast-approaching lean season.
WFP urgently requires 266 million dollars to continue life-saving food, nutrition assistance, as well as support to the humanitarian community in South Sudan in 2026.
Dit bericht verscheen op dinsdag 2 juni 2026 op de website van WFP:
World Food Programme (WFP) https://www.wfp.org/stories/wfp-scales-emergency-response-south-sudan-catastrophic-hunger-and-malnutrition-deepen
Learn more about WFP’s work in South Sudan.
Lees ook:
- South Sudan: Humanitarian Access Snapshot (OCHA, May 2026) https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-access-snapshot-may-2026
- South Sudan Monthly Refugee & Asylum Seekers Statistical Dashboard (May 2026, published 24 June 2026) https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/monthly-refugee-asylum-seekers-statistical-dashboard-may-2026
- South Sudan: Integrated Public Health Rapid Assessment in Akobo East, Akobo County, Jonglei State (July 2025) https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-integrated-public-health-rapid-assessment-akobo-east-akobo-county-jonglei-state-july-2025
- What you need to know about Akobo an island town under pressure (Eye Radio, Juba, 12 March 2026) https://www.eyeradio.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-akobo-an-island-town-under-pressure/
- Resilience in times of war: how WRI members in Sudan are sustaining their work for peace https://cimic-npo.org/2025/04/18/92-003/
- Mohamed Kordofani’s ‘Goodbye Julia’ brengt dieperliggende oorzaken van oorlog en conflict in Soedan onder de aandacht https://cimic-npo.org/2024/05/27/53-013/
- Sudan: Urgent Action Needed on Hunger Crisis https://cimic-npo.org/2024/03/28/51-012/
