Situation Overview

By the end of January 2017, about 3.4 million South Sudanese people had been forced out of their homes, including about 1.89 million internally displaced and 1.5 million seeking refuge in countries neighbouring South Sudan. During the month, renewed fighting in Upper Nile and the Equatorias displaced more than 90,000 people. This includes, over 58,000 South Sudanese sought refuge in neighbouring Uganda in January alone, mainly from Yei, Morobo, Lainya and Kajo-Keji. In Western Equatoria, about 4,000 people fled to Yambio town and another 3,000 displaced to Makpandu, Rimenze Church and Kasia Boma following attacks on villages north of Yambio town. In Upper Nile, fighting broke out in the vicinity of Wau Shilluk and Malakal town on 25 January, displacing at least 20,000 civilians and disrupting humanitarian activities, while in Nasir, forcing over 30,000 people from Kueturenge, Madeng were forced to flee their homes to Jikmir and areas along the Baro and Giro rivers bordering Ethiopia. During the month, Wau also received around 12,000 new arrivals, displaced from Jur River region. In Unity, new cholera cases were confirmed in Mayendit County.

There was a reduction in the number of humanitarian access incidents reported (64) in January 2017 compared with December 2016 (77). However, the impact on humanitarian operations was substantial with 16 aid workers relocated from Wau Shilluk in Upper Nile due to fighting, and some 26 aid workers relocated from Panyijiar County in Unity, following a Government directive to partners to cease operations in the area, due to relocations of aid workers and suspension of operations in multiple locations. About 53 per cent of incidents reported involved violence against humanitarian personnel or assets. During the month, there were nine incidents involving restrictions of movement within the country, representing a significant increase from December 2016 when there were three cases.

By the end the month, humanitarian partners had reached 1.6 million people, out of 5.8 million targeted in 2017 under the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). However, lack of early funding proved to be a challenge, with the US$1.6 billion appeal for 2017 for South Sudan just one per cent funded by the end of January. Timely funding in the first quarter of the year is particularly critical in South Sudan, where vast amounts of supplies must be pre-positioned before the rainy season begins in April.