South Sudan

Fighting that erupted in the capital of Juba in December 2013 plunged the Republic of South Sudan into its most severe crisis since it became independent in 2011, following decades of civil war. Thousands of South Sudanese have been killed and traumatized and more than 2.7 million have been displaced from their homes, including more than 1 million who are refugees in neighboring countries and approximately 200,000 who are sheltering at United Nations compounds in South Sudan.

Forty percent of the population—4.8 million people—need lifesaving assistance, with some people on the brink of starvation. U.S. humanitarian aid for the people of South Sudan totals nearly $1.9 billion since the start of the conflict in December 2013.

USAID has worked in South Sudan for decades, providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance, conflict mitigation assistance, and support for key milestones of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which culminated in South Sudan’s independence.  USAID has helped provide essential services to the people of South Sudan, such as health care and education, built key infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and supported agriculture initiatives, civil society and independent media. 

LEARN MORE