WFP warns South Sudan hunger crisis will worsen as ‘super El Niño’ approaches

# What happened Programme (WFP) warned that South Sudan's hunger crisis is deteriorating as several pressures converge: a decade-long civil war, falling international funding, and a "super El Niño" weather event expected to reduce rainfall across the region. WFP described the combination as pushing millions deeper into vulnerability.

# Who is affected WFP's brief lists specific nutrition needs: 2.2 million children and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women require urgent support. The agency also said that more than 1 million people could lose their food assistance by October if current funding shortfalls are not addressed.

# Why this will make the crisis worse Drought has already damaged harvests nationwide, reducing local food availability and raising prices. El Niño is expected to suppress rainfall in South Sudan and neighboring areas, which will further harm crops and grazing, increase market stress, and complicate food deliveries.

The conflict itself hinders humanitarian response. Rights groups have accused both government and opposition forces of blocking aid, including denying access to opposition-held areas. Those access constraints limit where relief can be delivered and slow emergency nutrition interventions.

# Legal and operational context for aid access The story cites customary humanitarian law standards relevant to wartime relief operations: the International Committee of the Red Cross' Rule 55 (allow and facilitate rapid, unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief) and Rule 56 (freedom of movement for authorized relief personnel). The piece also references the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2417 as related legal standards that speak to parties' obligations to allow humanitarian assistance.

# Immediate operational risks

• Funding gaps: WFP warns that current shortfalls put over a million people at risk of losing food aid by October.
• Nutrition spike: Large numbers of children, pregnant and breastfeeding women already need urgent assistance.
• Climate shock: An El Niño event that suppresses rainfall will worsen crop losses and could push up food prices further.
• Access constraints: Fighting and intentional obstruction of aid limit delivery to vulnerable populations.

# What to watch next

# Bottom line South Sudan faces overlapping shocks: conflict-driven access problems, inadequate funding for relief operations, and an El Niño event likely to reduce rainfall and worsen food production and markets. Those combined factors put large numbers of children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and other vulnerable groups at immediate nutritional risk.