The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Tuesday launched the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for South Sudan, warning that more than 10 million people may require assistance this year. The one-billion-dollar plan prioritizes around four million people facing the most acute risks, amid escalating violence, economic decline and the spillover from the Sudan conflict.
UN humanitarian coordinator Anita Kiki Gbeho said that despite receiving only 43 per cent of requested funding in 2025, partners reached about four million people with lifesaving support.
The plan projects that 7.5 million people could face acute food insecurity in 2026, including 28,000 already in catastrophic conditions. South Sudan’s humanitarian affairs minister, Albino Akol Atak, said the 2026 plan represents a “humanitarian reset”, targeting 4.3 million of the most vulnerable people, down from 5.4 million in 2025, as the government confronts conflict, climate shocks and the influx of more than 1.3 million people fleeing the Sudan crisis.
