Over Half of South Sudan’s Population Faces Acute Hunger Crisis

Conflict and displacement are intensifying South Sudan’s hunger crisis, with 7.8 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity while 2.2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, according to a joint statement on Tuesday from UN agencies. 
 
Hunger is pushing 56 percent of South Sudan’s population into high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2026, reaching Phase 3 or above on the world’s hunger classification system, the IPC. 
 
Among those projected to face acute food insecurity, 73,300 people are facing catastrophic levels (Phase 5), the most severe level under the internationally backed alert system. This represents a dramatic increase of 160 per cent from the last estimate.  
  
UN agencies said the crisis is being driven by escalating conflict, mass displacement, economic decline, climate shocks, flooding, and below-capacity agricultural production.  
 
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