South Sudan, IMF ink pact for $112.7m in emergency funds

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and South Sudan announced they have reached a staff-level agreement for the release of about $112.7 million in emergency financing, pending an approval by the IMF’s executive board.

“This emergency financing under the new Food Shock Window will help South Sudan address food insecurity, support social spending, and boost international reserves,” the IMF said in a statement on Tuesday (22 November).

Earlier this month, United Nations agencies said up to 7.8 million people in South Sudan, two-thirds of the population, may face severe food shortages during next year’s April-to-July lean season due to floods, drought, and conflict. On Tuesday, the IMF put the number of people experiencing severe food insecurity at an estimated 8.3 million.

“The combination of continued localized conflict, four consecutive years of severe flooding, and the rising price of staple commodities has increased the number of people experiencing severe food insecurity,” the IMF said.

South Sudan erupted into civil war shortly after getting independence from Sudan in 2011 and while a peace agreement signed four years ago is largely holding, the transitional government has been slow to unify various military factions.