By every conceivable measure, South Sudan is a nation in crisis. Though a peace agreement was signed in 2018, it is yet to be implemented. While visiting the country this month, the U.N. Commissioner on Human Rights in South Sudan warned that every passing day of inaction means not just time lost, but lives lost.
According to the World Bank, 80% of the South Sudanese population lives below the international poverty line, while only 1% of people have access to electricity. And in September, a United Nations Security Council delegation warned that another full-fledged civil war could break out there at any moment.
Global food security was among the priority issues discussed during the recent U.N. General Assembly in New York. With the prediction that South Sudan will experience famine unless billions of dollars in aid are not obtained immediately, it is among the countries being considered for urgent action. But it’s important to note that the multiple crises facing South Sudan weren’t of its own making.
