South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Ongoing fighting along the Nile River in Upper Nile State has disrupted the delivery of humanitarian aid to over 60,000 malnourished children, according to United Nations agencies.
The U.N.’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the U.N. Agency for Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that the violence has hindered the distribution of essential nutrition supplies to Upper Nile State, which has the highest malnutrition rates in the country.
The U.N. agencies warn that these nutrition supplies are expected to be depleted by the end of May.
Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP Representative in South Sudan, cautioned that ongoing violence in the restive Upper Nile region puts the lives of 60,000 children at risk.
“Children are always the first to suffer during emergencies; if we can’t get nutrition supplies through, we are likely to see escalating malnutrition in areas already at breaking point,” McGroarty said in a joint WFP-UNICEF statement.
She noted that the situation continues to worsen daily for malnourished children in need of life-saving treatment.
“This is already one of the most food-insecure regions in South Sudan with extremely high rates of malnutrition; in these situations, every day makes a difference for a malnourished child in need of life-saving treatment.”
Government forces have been fighting an ethnic Nuer militia known as the White Army in the Upper Nile region since March, following the killing of SSPDF commander Lt. Gen. Majur Dak and several soldiers.
The Nile is a crucial transport route in South Sudan and serves as the main humanitarian supply corridor into Upper Nile.
With few paved roads and challenging terrain, particularly during the rainy season when many roads become impassable, the situation is dire.
Obia Achieng, UNICEF Deputy Representative to South Sudan, stated that intensified fighting along the White Nile River has prevented humanitarian supplies from reaching the area for almost a month.
“We have reluctantly taken the unprecedented step of holding back supplies for fear they will not reach the children who desperately need them, due to ongoing fighting, looting, and disruptions along the river route,” Achieng said.
“If this continues, we risk running out of supplies in counties across the state by the end of May 2025, with potentially catastrophic results for the youngest and most vulnerable children,” Achieng added. In mid-April, barges carrying 1,000 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies bound for Upper Nile State were forced to turn back due to insecurity, according to WFP and UNICEF
