South Sudan to face economic, humanitarian crises amid aid cuts: World Bank

JUBA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan is set to face profound economic and humanitarian challenges due to dwindling donor assistance and humanitarian funding, according to two new reports released by the World Bank on Thursday.

"Official development assistance coming from other countries into South Sudan in 2025 was half the average recorded between 2019 and 2024," Charles Undeland, World Bank Group country manager for South Sudan, told journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The World Bank, in partnership with the government, launched the Public Finance Review and the Country Climate and Development Report, which are seen as critical in shaping policy review and direction for the country amid severe economic and humanitarian crises.

Undeland said that with U.S. aid dropping by 80 percent and EU support by 20 percent, the country faces a profound challenge, as humanitarian assistance, particularly for food security and nutrition, is set to decline sharply alongside cuts to education, healthcare, and other essential services.

South Sudan may face devastating floods over the next two decades, Undeland said, noting that the country could lose up to 13 percent of its gross domestic product by 2050 as a result.

"The longer we delay investing in resilience, the more the livelihoods of millions of South Sudanese will be disrupted and affected, and the more pressure will be put on households in terms of their welfare and well-being," he said.

Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Yien Gach Ruey said that the two reports provided actionable recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fiscal policy and strengthen fiscal revenues to enable economic recovery and sustainable growth.

Gach particularly cited the climate and development report as vital in prioritizing investments to strengthen resilience, including flood-risk mitigation and resilience management in rural communities. ■