Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Thomas Kenneth Elisapan said the government remains committed to facilitating humanitarian access and supporting relief efforts across the country.
“Our focus remains on strengthening bilateral ties, partnerships, advancing regional cooperation, and promoting peace and development for the people of South Sudan,” Elisapan said.
He dismissed allegations that the government is responsible for blocking aid, instead pointing to areas under the control of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).
“As the government, we have no plan to obstruct humanitarian access. Most of the obstructions are occurring in areas controlled by the SPLA-IO,” he said, adding that authorities are facilitating humanitarian operations as the country prepares for general elections scheduled for December 2026.
However, humanitarian organisations with field offices in northern Jonglei say the aid restrictions in opposition strongholds are imposed by the government.
In January, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) accused the government of imposing restrictions on humanitarian access in opposition-held areas of Jonglei State. The medical charity warned that such limitations were hampering the delivery of critical services.
“These restrictions limit MSF’s ability to deliver essential medical assistance for communities, which can have particularly dangerous consequences for children, pregnant women, and people living with chronic or life-threatening conditions,” MSF said in a statement.
Concerns over aid access were further amplified in February, when Western embassies and the European Union called on South Sudan’s transitional government to account for food looted from a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy.
In a joint statement, the embassies of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside the EU delegation, condemned repeated attacks on twelve WFP boats in Baliet County, Upper Nile State. The vessels were carrying more than 1,500 metric tonnes of food intended to support approximately 73,000 people in need.
The diplomatic missions urged authorities to investigate the incident, recover the stolen supplies, and ensure the safe passage of humanitarian assistance.
Despite the differing accounts, Elisapan said the government continues to engage international partners to improve coordination and guarantee access for aid agencies.
He added that Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Akuei Bona Malual recently met with the World Food Programme’s country director to review ongoing humanitarian operations and explore ways to strengthen delivery mechanisms.
