South Sudan

Following independence from Sudan in July 2011, a political crisis sparked fighting in the Republic of South Sudan's capital, Juba, in December 2013 that quickly spread to other parts of the country, igniting civil war.  According to an analysis by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, an estimated 383,000 South Sudanese have died as a result of the war. Nearly 4.4 million have fled their homes—1.85 million internally displaced and 2.5 million as refugees in neighboring countries.  South Sudanese have been deeply affected by exposure to traumatic events and economic devastation as well, including the inability to plant subsistence crops due to displacement and insecurity. 

To respond to this crisis, USAID has increased humanitarian assistance and support for fundamental human needs, including access to water, health, and education services. USAID continues to support civil society and independent media to ensure that diverse voices are heard, and supports activities in conflict mitigation, trauma awareness, and reconciliation. 

USAID has worked in South Sudan for decades, providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance, conflict mitigation assistance, essential services such as health care and education, and support for key milestones of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which culminated in South Sudan’s independence.

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