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UN PhotoWFP / SOUTH SUDAN AKOBO RESPONSE
STORY: WFP / SOUTH SUDAN AKOBO RESPONSE
TRT: 2:48
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WFP ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NUER / NATS
DATELINE: SEE SHOTLIST FOR DETAILS
25 MAY 2026, AKOBO EAST, JONGLEI STATE, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, WFP airdrops food in Akobo East
23 MAY 2026, AKOBO EAST, JONGLEI STATE, SOUTH SUDAN
2. Various shots, people collecting WFP food that has been airdropped in Akobo East
29 MAY 2026, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director for South Sudan:
“It's pretty dire in in Akobo. We found many young children and mothers, some of whom were pregnant, who are severely malnourished and barely having to anything to eat, including all of the families, the men and the children.”
25 MAY 2026, AKOBO EAST, JONGLEI STATE, SOUTH SUDAN
4. Various shots, children being screened for malnutrition using Mid Upper-Arm Circumference test (MUAC) when the band is red it means the child is severely malnourished and yellow means they are moderately malnourished.
29 MAY 2026, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director for South Sudan (English)
“Insecurity continues to be a little bit of a challenge because we never know when the situation changes. So really, we are calling on all parties to support humanitarians and humanitarian cargo to get to the destination in a safe way so that we can reach the vulnerable communities who desperately, desperately need assistance.”
25 MAY 2026, AKOBO EAST, JONGLEI STATE, SOUTH SUDAN
6. Various shots, children being screened for malnutrition using Mid Upper-Arm Circumference test (MUAC) when the band is red it means the child is severely malnourished and yellow means they are moderately malnourished.
7. SOUNDBITE (Nuer) Chol Dorar, Akobo East Resident:
“I am eight months pregnant. During this pregnancy, I became sick, and there was no hospital. My whole body became swollen. It is because of hunger, lack of food, and lack of vitamins. The weakness in my body comes from not having enough food or water. We had nothing because we were living in the bush.”
23 AND 24 MAY 2026, AKOBO EAST, JONGLEI STATE, SOUTH SUDAN
8. Various shots, people collecting food and malnutrition prevention products from a WFP distribution point and preparing it at home
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has scaled-up its emergency response in Akobo East, South Sudan, delivering vital food and nutrition assistance to hundreds of thousands of people facing catastrophic hunger and malnutrition, even as insecurity, infrastructure damage and the onset of the rainy season continue to hamper operations.
“The situation is critical and demands immediate attention to save lives of people who desperately need assistance,” said Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director in South Sudan. “Our hope is to continue to reach people in need. Sustained safety and security of humanitarians and humanitarian cargo is therefore crucial to allow us to ramp up assistance and effectively reach all those in need.”
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update, parts of Akobo County are experiencing IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) – one of four counties at risk of famine if conditions deteriorate.
An estimated 97,000 people are projected to face IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), 85,000 Phase 4 (Emergency), and 12,000 Phase 5 (Catastrophe) through July. The malnutrition crisis has worsened to IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5 (Extremely Critical), driven by displacement, loss of livelihoods, disruption to health and nutrition services, and increased disease risks due to overcrowding.
Severe malnutrition among children under five and breastfeeding mothers is rising sharply, fuelling fears of famine-like conditions developing in the region.
Ongoing conflict has already displaced approximately 142,000 individuals from Akobo County and surrounding areas, with 100,000 having crossed into neighbouring Ethiopia.
The collapse of local markets due to conflict and looting has severely restricted access to food supplies.
Since launching its emergency response three weeks ago, WFP has reached more than 60,000 vulnerable people in Akobo including: More than 15,000 people with emergency food assistance; Close to 6,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women with nutrition commodities and Over 30,000 people with High Energy Biscuits (HEB), a vital source of nutrition for people on the move. More than 6,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women with specialized nutritious foods – part of a blanket supplementary feeding programme.
WFP and partners have also conducted nutrition screenings for 15,000 children and admitted 3,000 children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
WFP’s supply chain coordination and delivery continues to enable the scale up, including: Delivery of 25 metric tons of fortified biscuits and specialised nutritious foods, including airlifting 14.5 metric tons to frontline warehouses. Transport of 300 metric tons of mixed commodities for General food assistance and Nutrition to Akobo by air. A 33-truck convoy from WFP and the Logistics Cluster to deliver over 200 metric tons of food assistance, nutrition supplies, and 100 metric tons of relief items by this week. This may be the final road convoy before heavy rains render key roads impassable. More than 60 flights by WFP Aviation including airdrops, airlifts, and UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) passenger flights transporting 430 MT of critical assistance. UNHAS has also transported more than 200 aid workers into and out of the area. Increasing WFP-managed UNHAS flights to three times per week.
During the rainy season, when overland transport becomes unfeasible, WFP will continue supporting Akobo through air deliveries to ensure uninterrupted food assistance.
While access in Akobo has recently improved, delivering life-saving assistance has relied heavily on costly air operations due to persistent insecurity.
The risk of renewed fighting is real. We need hostilities to end and humanitarians must have continued secure access to ensure civilians can safely receive vital assistance
The sustained and consistent delivery of critical services and support to communities is paramount for recovery and rebuilding livelihoods
WFP is deeply concerned about the many vulnerable people trapped in inaccessible regions, where hunger and malnutrition is likely to worsen during the fast-approaching lean season.
WFP urgently requires USD 266 million to continue life-saving food, nutrition assistance, as well as support to the humanitarian community in South Sudan in 2026.
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