UN Warns 650,000 South Sudan Refugees Face Food Aid Cutoff

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned that over 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan risk losing lifesaving food and nutrition assistance within weeks. Due to severe funding shortfalls, the agencies report that some refugees are already receiving only half of their full rations. Without immediate funding, the final distributions for the most vulnerable 240,000 refugees will occur in September, potentially leaving no refugees in the country receiving food assistance by October.

The WFP reports an immediate $37 million gap for refugee operations and a total shortfall of $258 million for the remainder of 2026. Simultaneously, UNHCR has secured only 28% of its required $286 million for the year. This crisis unfolds as South Sudan hosts over 1.4 million people who fled conflict in Sudan since 2023, with approximately 3,000 new arrivals arriving weekly.

Officials warn that these cuts will increase malnutrition and the risk of exploitation for women and children. They caution that desperate families may be forced to return to war-torn Sudan or travel along dangerous routes to survive, undermining hard-won progress in education and self-reliance. More than 7.8 million people within South Sudan already face acute food insecurity.