South Sudan officially declared famine
The United Nations on 20 February is officially declared the famine in two counties of unity state of South Sudan — the youngest country in the world.
According to the United Nations, hunger affects more than 100 thousand people in unity state, another 1 million people in the country are on the verge of starvation. Acute food shortage is the continuing with the 2013 civil war. This is stated in the message on the official website of the organization.
“According to our estimates, more than one million children in South Sudan suffer from acute malnutrition, more than a quarter of a million children from malnutrition. If we do not render immediate assistance, many of them will die,” said UNICEF representative in the country Jeremy Hopkins.
According to UN projections, the famine soon spread to more people: a serious eating less threatened about 5.5 million people in the country, approximately half of the population. About 4.9 million people in the country (40% of the population) urgently require food and agricultural assistance.
The UN believes that the crisis has exacerbated the lack of security measures and the looting of humanitarian supplies. Director of the world food programme in the country Joyce luma told The New York Times that “the humanitarian community is struggling trying to avoid this catastrophe.” The publication has noticed that the UN sent more than 10 thousand peacekeepers in South Sudan, but this is not enough for area nearly the size of Texas that’s filled with armed rival groups.
This is the first time in the last six years, when the UN declares a situation of mass starvation. Famine is declared if he dies at least two people for every 10 thousand population and 20% of the population suffer from severe malnutrition.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war. Cause the next crisis in 2013 was the civil war between President Salva Kiir (from the Dinka ethnic group) and opposition (the Nuer tribe). In 2015, the parties signed a peace agreement, agreed to establish a transitional government, but in 2016, the conflict has flashed with new force.
The material is provided by project “+1”