In the northern South Sudanese town of Renk, amidst transit centres filled with approximately 20,000 individuals who have escaped the conflict in Sudan, you’ll find trader Mathew Kuol operating his stall. He is conscious that a significant number of the passers-by are in urgent need of food, yet lack the financial means to procure it.
To his dismay, the cost for a 5kg bag of sugar has escalated from 8,000 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) to 15,000 SSP. To facilitate sales, he divides it into 500g pouches but many still find the price too steep. According to Kuol, the cost of flour and charcoal has seen a parallel increase.
On the verge of desperation, the citizens of South Sudan endure hyperinflation and skyrocketing food prices amid impacts from the neighbouring Sudanese war that commenced a year ago on April 15th. Even prior to the recent surge in prices, approximately nine million inhabitants of this east African landlocked nation were forecast to require humanitarian aid this year.
Top FM radio station’s chief editor, John Wulu, based in Juba, the capital, reported that South Sudan is “facing extreme economic difficulties”. The monetary value of SSP to the dollar has dramatically increased, surging from 700-800 SSP per dollar in February to 2,600 SSP, before settling at 1,560 SSP after government intervention to regulate the shadow market. Nonetheless, market prices remain unusually inflated.
Of the many reasons for the ongoing economic crisis, Wulu noted two main causes, both related to the conflict in Sudan, including the Sudanese army’s conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Firstly, the influx of refugees from Sudan continues, with Wulu stating, “Some of them, they have no food and no shelter”. Since the outbreak of the war, more than 629,000 individuals have migrated to South Sudan, of which 78% are returning South Sudanese who previously escaped civil conflict, with the remainder being Sudanese refugees or displaced individuals of other nationalities.
Secondly, Wulu cited the termination of a pivotal oil pipeline passing through Sudan. This shutdown drastically affects the oil-dependent economy of South Sudan.
In South Sudan, living conditions for the populace are noticeably deteriorating, according to Wulu. Currently, some residents can go as many as three or four days without eating, with some not even having access to water for bathing due to widespread poverty. He highlighted that those devoid of livestock such as cows or goats to sell, lack an immediate source of income for survival. Even having good fortune on the side, the possibility of earning 500 to 1,000 South Sudanese pounds daily is slim, which barely affords you simple amenities like sweets or biscuits.
Wulu warned that South Sudan is staring at a humanitarian crisis, with people likely to perish due to lack of food. The daily death toll is high, and yet, much of it is unreported as most victims are either in rural areas or tucked away in cities. He added that the sheer danger faced by both traders and ordinary civilians has acutely escalated due to increased criminal activities in urban locales.
The civilian populace in South Sudan underwent a devastating civil conflict from 2013 that, by estimates, claimed almost 400,000 lives by 2018. While a peace accord was reached, Wulu informed that violence persists in multiple regions, consequently disrupting farming, the economic pillar of the country’s revenues. Armed insurgents and livestock plunderers have made farming activities unsafe, leading to an urban migration for security albeit with scarce survival options.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation asserts that, post-independence in 2011, roughly 80 per cent of the country’s residents relied on livestock, but the influence of internal strife, coupled with climate changes, have sparked resource rivalry.
In Wulu’s view, to further stabilise the situation, there’s a pressing need for the government to vigorously campaign for extensive disarmament, effectively getting firearms out of the reach of the civilian populace. This could enable farming in rural regions and heighten urban safety.
Lastly, he emphasized the critical role non-governmental organizations and the worldwide community play in supplying food relief, not only to refugees but also to impoverished families in South Sudan.
Despite having a populace around 11 million, South Sudan’s upcoming polls in December, which are unprecedented since its liberation, are yet to meet several requirements. The proposal for a further delay in these elections had been brought forward by Vice President Riek Machar the previous month. Contradicting this suggestion was President Salva Kiir, Machar’s past adversary in war, who advocated for elections to proceed, emphasising that political figures should avoid “holding onto power.”