Renewed Conflict Sparks Mass Displacement
Fresh clashes across Upper Nile, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal have scattered more than 445,000 people in 2025, the International Committee of the Red Cross reports, warning that civilians are fleeing repeatedly as front lines shift.
Climate Threats Intensify Humanitarian Needs
Severe floods, erratic rains and pockets of drought have struck simultaneously, affecting over 900,000 residents. ICRC says climate shocks forced 300,000 additional displacements this year, stretching water points, farms and shelters already weakened by years of insecurity.
Civilians Share Stories of Survival
In Yambio, mother of four Grace Wani remembers grabbing her children at dawn when gunfire erupted. ‘We walked for days without food,’ she recalls. ‘My youngest fell sick on the road.’ Her family now survives in a crowded school-turned-camp.
Further north in Kuajok, returnee Achol Marial fled the war in Sudan. ‘My children went to bed hungry until ICRC delivered beans and cash assistance in September,’ she says. ‘That night they finally slept safely and full.’
Funding Shortfall Raises Alarm
ICRC head of delegation Florence Gillette notes that seven of South Sudan’s ten states experienced conflict this year, while nearly all saw inter-communal violence. She urges warring parties to spare farms, clinics and schools and calls on donors to sustain lifesaving budgets.
Relief Efforts and Coordination Expand
Since January, ICRC and the South Sudan Red Cross have reached almost 196,000 displaced people and Sudanese returnees with food, cash and livelihood inputs. Observers say stronger cooperation with government ministries could speed permits and logistics for a broader humanitarian surge.
Prospects for Stability Before Next Rains
Analysts caution that without progress on the 2018 peace roadmap, displacement could climb. Yet renewed talks on security arrangements, coupled with improving seasonal roads, offer a narrow window to deliver aid before the next rainy season.