South Sudan's Security and Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

In a briefing to the United Nations Security Council on Monday, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Pobee, underscored the deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in South Sudan. Since March, previous gains in the peace process have largely been eroded due to military offensives and the undermining of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement between the country's rival leaders. The humanitarian crisis is dire, with 9.3 million people in need of assistance and 7.7 million suffering food insecurity.

Key Takeaways:

• The 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement between South Sudan's rival leaders has been effectively terminated due to President Salva Kiir's decision to place former Vice President Riek Machar under house arrest on March 26.
• The conflict has resulted in deaths, displacement, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, with 1.2 million refugees fleeing the civil war in neighboring Sudan into South Sudan.
• The crisis has disrupted oil flows to the Port Sudan, causing South Sudan to lose most of its valuable oil revenues.
• The Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 28.5 percent funded halfway through 2025, leaving millions without lifesaving assistance.
• Aid workers face growing challenges, including increased instances of attacks and poor infrastructure and administrative obstacles.
• The UN, African Union, and regional intergovernmental development body, IGAD, have repeatedly called for a cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue without a concrete response from the warring parties.
• The international community is urged to work with South Sudanese parties to avoid a failure in the peace process, which could lead to regional instability and a relapse into violence.

Statistics:

• 9.3 million people in South Sudan are in need of dire assistance.
• 7.7 million people are suffering food insecurity.
• 83,000 people risk catastrophic conditions due to malnutrition.
• 28.5 percent funding of the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.
• 1.2 million refugees have fled the civil war in neighboring Sudan into South Sudan.

Sources:

• United Nations News, "Briefing Security Council on South Sudan, Assistant Secretary-General undrscores need for immediate action to end violence, avert humanitarian disaster", August 2025.
• International Crisis Group, "South Sudan: Anatomy of a Peace Failure", August 2025 (unspecified date).
• United Nations Multimedia, "Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa", August 2025.