Christian Aid says South Sudan at risk of being “overwhelmed” by refugee crisis

The international development charity Christian Aid says South Sudan is struggling to cope as a third week of fighting in neighbouring Sudan is forcing thousands to flee across its borders.

Christian Aid and other humanitarian agencies fear up to 120,000 people mainly South Sudanese returnees, Sudanese refugees and third country nationals might cross to South Sudan if the conflict goes on. Between 13-20,000 people have already made it to South Sudan. Numbers are hard to come by as there are many informal border crossing routes.

South Sudan and aid agencies based there are struggling to cope. They fear they could be overwhelmed if refugee numbers increase rapidly. Food, clean water, shelter and sanitation facilities at the border are stretched to breaking point and there is a risk of diseases spreading.

James Wani, Christian Aid South Sudan Country Director, said: “Without more solidarity, like the international community showed in Ukraine, we could be overwhelmed by the plight of all those needing the essentials of food, water and medical help.

“Many women and children are sleeping out in the open at risk from violent crime and snake bites.”    

“There are close to million South Sudanese people in Sudan. The existing aid programme for South Sudan this year is only a quarter funded and that’s before this latest influx of desperate people.”

As well as South Sudan’s existing severe food emergency, there are also worries about the fragile peace process from disrupted cross-border trade, including food and fuel supplies. The country is dependent on neighbouring Sudan’s oil infrastructure for its exports.

Christian Aid is calling on the South Sudanese government of national unity to continue with the implementation of the peace agreement which still lags behind in a number of key provisions required for an election. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

More pictures from same border location available on request.

James Wani (headshot below) is available to be interviewed.

South Sudan formally broke away from its northern neighbour in 2011 after one of Africa's longest and bloodiest civil wars.

Faith leaders have played a prominent role in sustaining the South Sudan’s peace process by building trust between different factions. Christian Aid halted its church-led peacebuilding efforts after UK government cuts to aid budgets in 2021.

More than 85% of South Sudan’s national budget depends on oil exports, which are in turn dependent on the oil pipelines that cross Sudan to Port Sudan for export. If the pipelines are damaged, the likelihood is a rapid and significant deterioration to Sudan’s economy and increased political instability.