Albino Akol Atak, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, told President Salva Kiir during a Wednesday briefing that the country could be on the brink of a major humanitarian disaster in September and October, when heavy rains are anticipated, coupled with an increased influx of refugees from neighbouring Sudan.
According to Albino, the country is already grappling with a sharp rise in refugees and returnees fleeing the ongoing conflict that has gone on for over two years, stretching already limited resources.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees reports that since the conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, more than 1.2 million people have fled to South Sudan, including both Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese returnees as of August 2025.
At the same time, the government anticipates devastating climate-related shocks, particularly severe flooding.
“The influx of people from Sudan is putting enormous pressure on communities that are already vulnerable,” Albino told reporters. “On top of that, millions of South Sudanese face the risk of displacement as flooding threatens to submerge large parts of the country.”
The minister highlighted that Lakes State, Western Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Unity State are among the areas most at risk.
He said the Ministry is putting in place mitigation measures such as constructing dykes and water channels to minimise destruction, but warned that without urgent support, the scale of the crisis could overwhelm government capacity.
The Presidential Press Unit announced Wednesday that Kiir, in response to the warning, pledged his administration’s commitment to supporting affected populations, instructing relevant government institutions to fast-track policies and programs to cushion vulnerable communities and urged humanitarian partners to provide early technical support.
South Sudan has faced recurrent flooding over the past four years, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, destroying farmlands, and worsening food insecurity.
The combination of escalating refugee arrivals and climate-induced disasters now threatens to push a country already grappling with a desperate state of economy deeper into a humanitarian crisis without effective and timely interventions.
