By Benjamin Takpiny
JUBA, South Sudan (AA) – The humanitarian community in South Sudan on Monday launched the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), with an appeal for US$1.7 billion to provide life-saving assistance to the country's 5.4 million most vulnerable people.
In 2025, it is estimated that 9.3 million people, or 69% of South Sudan's total population of 13.4 million, will require some form of humanitarian assistance.
South Sudan's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Albino Akol Atak Mayom, has called for partners’ collaboration to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of 5.4 million people.
"Collaboration will continue in 2025—not only to bring relief to people affected by crisis but also to support durable solutions and build their resilience by investing in the provision of basic services and livelihood opportunities to enable them to graduate from humanitarian assistance," Akol said at the HNRP's launch in the capital, Juba.
He promised that the government would protect aid workers and facilitate the transportation of humanitarian supplies by providing adequate security for aid organizations.
"We must protect workers, humanitarians, and their families, as well as their property. We must give these workers access to reach out to those in need. We must eliminate illegal checkpoints," he said.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, attributed the dire humanitarian crisis to conflict, extreme weather conditions due to climate change, disease outbreaks, an economic downturn, and the impact of the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan.
“The 2025 HNRP paints an accurate picture of the most acute needs of vulnerable people across the country and an assistance plan that is realistic and, most importantly, life-saving,” Gbeho said.
Since the onset of the Sudan crisis in April 2023, over 905,000 people have crossed into South Sudan, with an additional 337,000 expected in 2025.