Targeted attacks on humanitarian assets threaten the humanitarian response in South Sudan

The escalating violence against humanitarians and looting of humanitarian supplies leaves countless people without access to life-saving support

(Juba, 24 May 2023) The Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim (ai) in South Sudan, Mr. Peter Van der Auweraert, strongly condemns a targeted attack and looting of humanitarian assets outside the UN Compound in Bor, Jonglei State. On 23 May, a large armed group on motorbikes looted five lorries loaded with food supplies outside of the UN compound in Bor. “All looting of humanitarian assets and attacks on humanitarian facilities is utterly unacceptable.

Humanitarians save lives and must be able to safely deliver life-saving supplies to those in need,” said Peter Van der Auweraert.

The lorries were loaded with 100 metric tonnes of WFP food assistance, enough to feed more than 11,000 people for one month. The food was to support those in most need living in Twic East. Almost 7 metric tonnes of the food was looted in the attack. Following the incident, WFP has paused movements out of Bor for the third time this year. “WFP has been grappling with a significant number of attacks on our convoys this year, as we provide humanitarian aid to people in urgent need of assistance,” said Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP Representative to South Sudan. “To have lorries attacked on the perimeter of the UN compound is beyond unacceptable and we have no choice but to pause operations out of Bor until the safety and security of our staff and assets can be assured. This will have an impact upon more than a million people in Jonglei and Pibor, many of whom are women and children, who rely on the assistance WFP provides.”

Since the beginning of the year, there have been several violent acts against humanitarian personnel and assets. Humanitarian access continues to be adversely affected by sub-national and inter-communal violence, operational interference, and physical constraints, affecting the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance. Contributory factors are escalating conflict, disturbing trends of physical assault, detention, intimidation and harassment against aid workers, confiscation of humanitarian assets and looting of humanitarian aid. “Millions of people in South Sudan bear the brunt of the protracted humanitarian crisis. They face appalling living conditions, limited access to basic goods and services, and a heightened risk of genderbased violence, and rely on life-saving support,” stated Peter Van der Auweraert. “The crisis in Sudan leaves millions of families in South Sudan at risk and they need extra humanitarian support,” he added.

The fighting which erupted in Sudan on 15 April this year, forced thousands of people to flee their homes. As of 24 May, 71,605 people have been registered crossing the border from Sudan into South Sudan. Of those, over 93 per cent are South Sudanese returnees, whereas the remaining are refugees and third-country nationals.

The Sudan crisis puts an additional strain on the humanitarian response as humanitarian organisations are redirecting their limited resources toward the new emergency to address the most critical needs of the newly arriving vulnerable returnees and refugees. “Soaring prices, disruption of supply chains and a lack of basic services are negatively impacting the already overstretched humanitarian response. Looting of humanitarian assistance further compounds the problem faced by the neediest,” Peter Van der Auweraert added.

*Notes to editors

An estimated 9.4 million people, 76 per cent of South Sudan's population, are projected to need humanitarian and/or protection assistance in 2023. Before this latest crisis, South Sudan has 2.2 million internally displaced persons; over 1.4 million people identifying as returnees; over 5.8 million resident population projected to have critical life-threatening needs; and 337,000 refugees. In 2023, humanitarian partners are targeting 6.8 million people with urgent life-saving assistance and protection services. As of 24 May 2023, the Humanitarian Response Plan is reported as funded at 27.8 per cent.