Today, the United States announced more than $95 million to support the response to the South Sudan humanitarian emergency. On behalf of the American people, this funding will provide critical protection, economic opportunity, shelter, essential healthcare, emergency food assistance, safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services to some of the nearly four million South Sudanese refugees and internally displaced people in South Sudan. It also supports refugees and host communities in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This announcement includes nearly $53 million through the U.S. Agency for International Development and nearly $43 million from the U.S. Department of State. It brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance to more than $482 million in Fiscal Year 2021.
Flooding, political violence, and lack of effective governance in recent years have ruined livelihoods, displaced additional South Sudanese, and heightened food insecurity, raising the likelihood of famine conditions in parts of the country. COVID-19 and ongoing subnational conflict have further compounded this dire situation.
The United States is the largest single donor of humanitarian aid to the South Sudan regional response efforts and we remain committed to helping the people of South Sudan. The urgent humanitarian need calls for sustained and coordinated donor support to the underfunded UN 2021 South Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan. We call on donors and the South Sudanese government to work with the UN and international community to support the humanitarian response in South Sudan. Humanitarian assistance will not solve the conflict, but it is vital to keeping civilians alive. Ultimately, political will and political solutions are the only way to end the suffering of the South Sudanese people.
