South Sudan

South Sudan, the youngest nation in the world, became independent from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum. Even though the country has vast natural resources and cultural diversity, it has struggled with political instability, conflict and humanitarian challenges ever since independence. The 2018 peace agreement failed to bring a lasting improvement to the situation. The food scarcity caused by the impacts of the armed conflict has been exacerbated by the consequences of climate change, such as droughts and floods. Some 70 per cent of the people depend on humanitarian assistance.

Following decades of conflict between southern and northern Sudan and two civil wars (1955-1972 and 1983-2005), South Sudan became independent in 2011. A short time later, a power struggle between two factions within the independence movement escalated. The conflict was fuelled by ethnic tensions and the unequal distribution of political power and economic resources, especially oil, which accounts for about 95 per cent of the country's exports. In 2015, a peace agreement was concluded, but the fighting did not end.

In 2020, the two sides formed a joint transitional government. The expectation was that this government would prepare a constitution and elections, but the process has stalled and elections have been postponed repeatedly. The transitional government has so far been unable to build a stable peace. The situation in South Sudan remains fragile and is characterised by – partly violent – ethnic and political conflict. Since March 2025, fighting between the conflicting sides has resumed, and there has been looting, mass displacement, attacks on civilians, and arbitrary arrests and violence.

Humanitarian crisis

According to United Nations data, more than two thirds of the population of South Sudan – over 10 million people – depend on humanitarian aid. Women and children are particularly affected, as they often experience violence and abuse. Nearly six million people are facing acute food insecurity. The unstable situation and the limited access to the regions in question are making humanitarian assistance more difficult.

Impacts of climate change

South Sudan is among the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. Recurrent droughts and floods are threatening the livelihoods of millions of people. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), some 350,000 people were displaced by severe flooding at the end of 2024. The risk of further floods remains high, especially in the Sudd swamp, one of the world's largest wetland areas.

Simultaneously, other regions are experiencing protracted droughts that are leading to massive loss of livestock and disrupted harvest cycles, which has exacerbated tensions and conflicts between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary communities.

Displacement

The protracted conflict and the precarious humanitarian situation have caused massive displacement. More than three million people have become internally displaced or fled to neighbouring countries. The arrival of over one million refugees from Sudan has further exacerbated the difficult situation. This group comprises both Sudanese asylum seekers and South Sudanese nationals who had lived in Sudan for decades. Internally displaced persons and returnees are facing huge challenges, as there is a lack of basic infrastructure and of options for them to integrate in the new environment. Many of these people are exposed to extreme risks such as malnutrition and gender-based violence.

Due to continuing instability in Sudan, the number of people arriving in South Sudan keeps growing. Simultaneously, South Sudan is experiencing severe and growing humanitarian access constraints. This is making it harder to meet people's needs.

Economy

South Sudan's economy is heavily dependent on oil export earnings, which account for about 90 per cent of government revenue. In February 2024, one of the country's main oil pipelines was damaged through fighting in Sudan. Among other things, this led to a dramatic decline in government revenue from oil trade. Corruption, a very high inflation rate and the non-payment of government workers' salaries have further worsened the economic situation. Even though oil production has been resumed gradually, it must be expected that earnings will remain below earlier levels for quite some time to come. Further delays of payments in the public sector could pose an additional threat to the country's stability. Food supplies within South Sudan are scarce. The currency is depreciating rapidly, and trade relations with Sudan have been disrupted. All these factors are adding to the rise in food prices.

German development cooperation

Germany has been engaged in development cooperation with Sudan since 1972. Cooperation with the Republic of the Sudan was suspended in 1989 because of the civil war. As early as in 2006, the German government began to assist the southern part of Sudan through targeted development activities. After South Sudan became independent in 2011, Germany and the young nation agreed to engage in bilateral development cooperation. Together with the UK and the European Union, Germany is among the biggest supporters of South Sudan in the areas of development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

In response to the first eruption of violence in December 2013, the reignition of the civil war in mid-2016 and also the prevalence of corruption, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) readjusted its development cooperation with South Sudan, focusing it on the community level. Direct cooperation with the government was stopped, and activities under transitional development assistance (crisis management and reconstruction) and under the BMZ's Special Initiative “Displaced Persons and Host Countries” were expanded. Germany's development cooperation programme is based on close cooperation with international partners and local stakeholders in order to deal with the complex challenges in South Sudan. The BMZ also supports projects and programmes run by the United Nations (World Food Programme, UNICEF, World Bank, IFAD) and the activities of numerous non-governmental organisations.

Germany's programmes focus on the following core areas and areas of intervention:

Core area: Peaceful and inclusive societies
Areas of intervention: good (local) governance, peacebuilding and conflict prevention, displacement and migration
Core area: Transformation of agricultural and food systems
Areas of intervention: food and nutrition security, rural development, agriculture, technical and vocational education and training
Core area: Conserving nature and natural resources, protecting life on Earth
Areas of intervention: water

The purpose of the programmes is to enhance the resilience of the population and to ensure the provision of basic services for the people.

In South Sudan, climate-resilient farming is improving the living conditions of many communities. Thanks to the expansion of farmland, resilient seeds, training and support for alternative sources of income such as honey production, farmers' yields have increased, their incomes have stabilised and food security has improved.

Foto von Kindern, die aus Wasserrohren trinken.

One of the biggest challenges in South Sudan is the supply of water. With the help of German development projects, many households now enjoy better quality of life thanks to access to safe drinking water and improved hygiene.

Foto von Frauen, die einem Vortrag folgen.

In South Sudan, peace committees are helping to defuse conflicts at an early point and foster community stability. In parallel, German development cooperation programmes are putting a focus on psychosocial support and protective measures for women and girls – from training for skilled personnel all the way to safe points of contact.