The situation in Jonglei has become an imminent humanitarian disaster. The ongoing fighting, massive displacement of populations, and food insecurity threatening 60% of the population, combined with a cholera outbreak, are creating a crisis in which each element worsens the others. The international community must act immediately to guarantee safe and unrestricted humanitarian access in order to deliver aid before security conditions make intervention impossible. Time is running out: each day of delay will cost human lives, especially among children and the most vulnerable.
Jonglei State in South Sudan is on the brink of a major humanitarian catastrophe. Since March 2025, an ongoing military offensive has displaced nearly 260,000 people in a single month, bringing the national total of internally displaced persons to an additional 250,000 by early 2026.
As the lean season (April-July) approaches, 60% of the population is facing critical food insecurity, while a deadly cholera epidemic is ravaging the region. The situation is dire, and administrative bottlenecks, which increased by 32% in 2025, are paralyzing life-saving aid.
The current crisis in Jonglei is not only a reflection of an ongoing military conflict, but also of a structural conflict with deep political and ethnic roots. Civilians are being targeted, suffering destruction and violence without protection.
The combination of food insecurity, cholera, and mass displacement is creating an uncontrollable humanitarian spiral where each crisis exacerbates the others. Humanitarian action: an absolute emergency.
Humanitarian Action: An Absolute Emergency
The period preceding the lean season (February–March) represents the last window of opportunity to deliver food before the rains and fighting completely cut off access to the population. Without immediate intervention, the deadly combination of hunger, cholera, and mass displacement will lead to a catastrophic increase in mortality, particularly among children and the most vulnerable populations.
The obstacles to humanitarian action are systemic and deliberate
The obstacles to humanitarian action are systemic and deliberate. Access is hampered by political and administrative obstacles, including the authorities’ refusal to issue the necessary permits for humanitarian convoys and flights. Furthermore, insecurity prevails, with direct attacks on humanitarian facilities: at least seven have been looted or damaged in Jonglei, while staff are being intimidated.
Finally, inflammatory and ethnic rhetoric is poisoning the political climate, undermining the neutrality of aid and exacerbating violence against civilians.
Recommendations for Urgent and Sustained Action
1. Guarantee Immediate Humanitarian Access
We must demand the immediate establishment of safe humanitarian corridors under international supervision, enabling the distribution of aid and the evacuation of the wounded. The authorities must immediately remove all administrative obstacles hindering humanitarian convoys and flights. At the same time, the international community must impose targeted sanctions against those responsible for these obstructions.
2. Strengthen the effectiveness of the humanitarian response
It is crucial to rapidly secure funding for the 2026 response plan to assist millions of vulnerable people. Interventions must be multisectoral: food aid, healthcare (including cholera prevention), protection of civilians, and livelihood support. Direct and logistical support must be provided to local community-based organizations, which are often best positioned to reach the most remote and vulnerable areas.
3. Work towards a lasting political resolution
A lasting peace requires the urgent resumption of inclusive political dialogue that fully integrates women, youth, and community leaders. The 2018 peace agreement must be revised to include credible mechanisms for disarmament and transitional justice. The UN Security Council must impose a strict arms embargo on all factions, and an independent international commission of inquiry must be established to document human rights violations and ensure accountability.
The people of Jonglei and South Sudan deserve peace, security, and dignity. The international community cannot simply stand by and watch the violence escalate. It has a moral obligation to act swiftly on three inseparable fronts: immediate humanitarian access, a massive emergency response, and a firm political commitment to inclusive peace.
Time is running out. Every day of delay will have a catastrophic human cost.