UN aid chief Tom Fletcher says hunger is taking hold amid growing humanitarian needs and intensifying fighting.
Published on 17 April 2026
South Sudan is at a dangerous crossroads as it faces the threat of famine, the UN humanitarian chief has warned.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher on Friday called on the Security Council to “prevent South Sudan from sliding towards full-scale famine and collapse”.
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He warned that “hunger is tightening its grip across South Sudan”, with emergency levels of food insecurity expected in some of all 10 states during the lean season that runs until the end of July.
After spending a week in the country, he said he feared famine would be talked about in his next briefing. They reported “looting of humanitarian structures and destruction of nutrition centres” in areas around Akobo in Jonglei state, where more than 140,000 people were “in desperate need of help”.
“More than 7.5 million people will need food assistance this year,” he said. “This is all coming to a head as flooding is expected to continue, cutting off communities and affecting livelihoods – once again.”
fight escalates
Anita Kiki Gbeho, head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), told the Security Council that “civilians are bearing the brunt” of escalating fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army, particularly in Jonglei.
Fighting in South Sudan escalated late last year, after a peace deal was reached in 2018 that ended a five-year civil war. A coalition of opposition forces captured government positions in Jonglei state in December, prompting a counter-military campaign in late January, forcing more than 280,000 civilians to flee the area.
Fletcher called on the Security Council to press for unhindered humanitarian access, increase flexible funding, and demand that all parties fully respect humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and infrastructure.
As the Council considers renewing the UNMISS mandate, which is in place until 30 April, Gbeho said that “the scale and urgency of needs on the ground do not yet match the type of sustained commitment and investment required to fully deliver on the shared ambition of a sustainable path to peace.”
