By Jacob Onuha Nelson
The World Food Program (WFP) has revealed that at least two million people have received food assistance this year.
Addressing Journalists on Wednesday at the World Food Program (WFP) Warehouse in Juba, Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP Country Director in South Sudan, expressed that despite challenges, over two million people have received food assistance.
“But so far this year, we have reached over 2.5 million people. And we hope by the end of the lean season, we would have reached 4.5 million people,” McGroarty said.
The WFP had faced several challenges to reach some parts of the regions in the country.
“The flooding, of course, is another challenge for us. We’re finding in some of the roads it’s quite difficult now to get past. We have been prepositioning food in advance of the rainy season,” McGroarty expressed.
However, the Charge ’d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan, Mr. Oyama Hiromoto, underscored that with partnership with WFP and others, they can achieve their goals.
“And this assistance will be executed with our partnership with our regional partners like WFP, UNFCL, UNDP, and others.” Hiromoto
“And this program will cover our activities, again, in our priority areas such as peacebuilding and governance and other humanitarian causes,” he added.
This follows the call of the WFP-FAO Hunger Hotspots report in 2024 about the highest concern of humanitarian action to prevent further starvation and death in 2025.
According to WFP, the contribution came at a critical time, as 7.7 million people in South Sudan faced acute food insecurity, and 2.3 million children were also at risk of malnutrition.
According to Japan, it would remain a longstanding and reliable partner to WFP in South Sudan and around the world, consistently supporting efforts to save lives and meet urgent food needs.