WFP scales up in South Sudan's Akobo County and seeks $266 million to sustain operations

The United Nations said the World Food Program is urgently scaling up emergency food and nutrition assistance in Akobo County, South Sudan, where hundreds of thousands of people face catastrophic levels of hunger amid rising displacement and conflict.

The spokesperson told reporters that, according to the latest IPC update, parts of Akobo are experiencing IPC Phase 5 (catastrophic levels of hunger). Since launching an emergency response three weeks ago, WFP has reached more than 60,000 vulnerable people in Akobo and expects a 33-truck convoy to deliver more than 200 metric tons of food and nutrition assistance plus an additional 100 metric tons of emergency relief supplies by the end of the week.

The U.N. said WFP has already conducted more than 60 aviation flights (air drops, airlifts and humanitarian passenger flights) transporting about 430 metric tons of critical supplies into the area, including by airdrop where roads are impassable. "That being said, as always, we need more money because we have more work and there are more needs," the spokesperson said, adding that WFP urgently requires $266 million to continue providing life-saving food and nutrition assistance and logistical support in South Sudan through the end of the year.

Why it matters: IPC Phase 5 designations indicate imminent risk of death from starvation at scale, and sustaining pipeline and logistics is critical to prevent famine and support isolated communities ahead of the rainy season when roads become impassable.

The U.N. did not list all donor commitments during the briefing; WFP appealed for international support to fund the operation.