South Sudan, 300,000 people fleeing in 2025

In South Sudan, the humanitarian crisis is worsening day by day. This was stated by the United Nations, which recorded over 300,000 citizens forced to flee the country in the first months of 2025. The main cause, according to the UN, is the intensification of the armed conflict between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and groups linked to former Vice President Riek Machar. According to official figures, nearly 150,000 people have entered Sudan, a country already ravaged by its own civil war. Another 50,000 have found refuge in Uganda, 50,000 in Ethiopia, 30,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 25,000 in Kenya. Within South Sudan, more than two million people are displaced, often in extremely precarious conditions. Further complicating the crisis is the arrival in South Sudan of nearly 800,000 refugees fleeing the conflict that broke out in Sudan in April 2023, with a flow of 1,500 people per day. In the border areas between the two states, such as Renk, the situation is dramatic and the few resources available are not enough.

A restless escape

Behind the numbers, there are faces. Entire families, forced to abandon their homes and villages, often without knowing where to go. Children growing up without schooling or care, pregnant women giving birth in the fields, elderly people unable to flee to safety. “South Sudanese are fleeing again due to renewed armed clashes,” reported the UN Commission for Human Rights in South Sudan, which spoke of a resurgence of violence on a scale “unseen since the signing of the 2017 ceasefire.” At the end of a mission to the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Commission expressed deep concern about ongoing human rights violations.

A crisis exacerbated by flooding

As if that were not enough, South Sudan has also been hit by severe flooding caused by torrential rains and the rising level of the Nile River. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 890,000 people have been affected by flooding in various regions of the country, particularly in Jonglei and Unity states. “The floods have destroyed homes, farmland, schools, health centers, and vital infrastructure, making humanitarian access extremely difficult,” explained OCHA. Almost a third of the affected population has had to abandon their homes, adding to the number of internally displaced persons. In this context, more than half of the population is living in conditions of severe food insecurity. Malnutrition levels are rising, and humanitarian aid funds are severely insufficient.

The urgency of solidarity

The UN Commission has launched an urgent appeal to the African Union, countries in the region, and the international community to prevent South Sudan from falling into a new spiral of devastation. “South Sudan cannot rebuild itself without stability and justice,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández. ” The increase in armed clashes, mass displacement, and the fragmentation of the peace agreement signed seven years ago show the fragility of the situation.” Meanwhile, on the ground, thousands of humanitarian workers continue to work tirelessly to provide food, shelter, medical care, clean water, and flood relief materials. But without stronger and more sustained support, the response risks being overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis. The fate of South Sudan remains uncertain. But one thing is certain: we cannot remain indifferent to hundreds of thousands of human beings forced to flee from what they called home. A population that has been tested but not broken, and continues to hope for a possible future.

Credits: Sara Costantini – Vatican City

Original article (in Italian): VATICAN NEWS