South Sudan

Since gaining independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, South Sudan has confronted a number of humanitarian challenges. These include disease outbreaks, environmental shocks, high rates of food insecurity, poor macroeconomic conditions, and widespread violence, which have driven repeated displacement of at-risk populations. As a result, populations are less able to cope with shocks and increasingly rely on the humanitarian community to meet their basic needs. An estimated 9 million people—73 percent of the country's population—will be in need of humanitarian assistance during 2024, according to the 2024 UN Humanitarian Needs Overview for South Sudan. However, bureaucratic impediments on relief organizations, insecurity, and logistical challenges constrain the delivery of critical humanitarian assistance to populations in need across the country.

USAID is responding to the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan by providing agriculture, food, and nutrition assistance; health care services; logistics support; protection interventions; and water, sanitation, and hygiene aid to at-risk populations across the country, including internally displaced persons, refugees, returnees, and communities that host these populations. As the largest donor to the humanitarian response in South Sudan, the United States Government continues to promote inclusive and long-term socioeconomic growth, reduced reliance on humanitarian assistance, and resilience activities to empower local communities.