The Republic of South Sudan became the world’s youngest nation and Africa’s 54th country on July 9, 2011. However, outbreaks of civil war in 2013 and 2016 have undermined the post-independence development gains it made, as well as making its humanitarian situation worse. More than a decade after independence, South Sudan remains impacted by fragility, economic stagnation, and instability. Poverty is ubiquitous, exacerbated by conflict, displacement, and external shocks.
The signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in September 2018 and the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2020 have contributed to recovery and peacebuilding. A series of encouraging reforms have been undertaken to support longer term stability and development outcomes and a two-year extension of the R-ARCSS to February 2025 will further allow the government to meet key milestones in the peace agreement. However, a modest economic recovery, recorded following the resumption of oil production, has been upended by historic floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. South Sudan’s economic outlook is now clouded by production bottlenecks in the oil sector, with production dwindling in the face of limited new investment, highlighting the need to diversify the economy.
South Sudan’s vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters compounds the country’s humanitarian situation, jeopardizes recovery, and undermines development efforts. Since its independence in 2011, the country has suffered severe droughts (2011, 2015) and floods (2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022), resulting in high numbers of casualties, displacements, and loss of livestock — severely impacting people’s livelihoods.
South Sudan remains in a serious humanitarian crisis. Some 9.4 million people, 76% of the population, are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023, an increase of half a million people compared to 2022. Women and children continue to be the most affected.
Going forward, upholding and fast-tracking the implementation of the peace agreement, strengthening service delivery institutions, governance, and economic and public financial management systems will prove critical as the country seeks to build resilience against future shocks and lay down the building blocks for a diversified, inclusive, and sustainable growth path.
Last Updated: Mar 20, 2023