Renk, South Sudan – Every week, about 3,000 refugees and returnees cross into South Sudan from Sudan, many arriving hungry, exhausted and with little or no money. The food assistance they depend on is also running out.
In Malakal, one of the WFP’s key logistics hubs in Upper Nile state, food stocks have fallen from 10,000 metric tonnes at this time last year to less than 300 tonnes now. The agency says the drop comes as humanitarian resources shrink while needs continue to rise.
WFP Assistant Executive Director Matthew Hollingworth visited Renk, Malakal and Pigi county in Jonglei state this month, witnessing firsthand the pressures facing communities already struggling with conflict, displacement, hunger and climate shocks. He told Al Jazeera that the war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has been catastrophic for northern South Sudan.
“Prices have gone so much higher due to the complexity of importing goods from Sudan,” Hollingworth said. “Moreover, the influx of refugees comes to a country that is really stretched when it comes to helping them.”
In Renk, Hollingworth saw the effects of drought alongside areas still affected by flooding. He noted that the international community has less to give now, and that the government of South Sudan must address the issue of illegal checkpoints that hinder humanitarian access.
Peter Maker, a displaced person in Pigi, said insecurity and the arrival of people from other areas have made it difficult to farm or find work. “Although I am able-bodied and qualified to work, insecurity prevents me from travelling for opportunities or farming safely outside, leaving us heavily reliant on the UN and aid,” he told Al Jazeera. Maker called for longer-term solutions and warned that further cuts to assistance would be devastating.
More than 1.4 million refugees and returnees have crossed into South Sudan since the war in Sudan began in 2023, according to the WFP. Many arrive after journeys marked by checkpoints and hardship.