While in South Sudan, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčic, announced on Thursday 22 April the mobilisation of €43 million in humanitarian aid to help vulnerable populations in this country where more than 8 million people have unmet basic needs, including more than 7 million suffering from severe food insecurity.
This package will help finance the most pressing needs: food and nutritional aid, protection of victims of violence, strengthening preparedness for epidemics and natural disasters, and education for the millions of children who are not in school.
“The humanitarian situation in South Sudan is extremely serious. Parts of this youngest African country are facing near-famine conditions, and the country as a whole is bracing itself for the worst food crisis ever”, the Commissioner said.
“Only five donors, including the European Commission, account for almost 77% of the total aid to South Sudan. This lack of interest risks turning this already disastrous situation into a forgotten crisis”, he warned, calling on all other donors to step up their support.
EU aid will be implemented by humanitarian partners from ECHO (the Commission’s civil protection and humanitarian aid operations) in the field, including the World Food Programme. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)