Thank you for contacting me about South Sudan.
I share your concerns about the situation in South Sudan, and I know that my ministerial colleagues at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) do too. Indeed, it is for reasons such as those you describe why South Sudan is one of 31 human rights priority countries for the UK.
South Sudan's first decade as an independent country has been dominated by conflict, corruption and suffering. Progress on the 2018 peace agreement for South Sudan has also been slow, and HM Government (HMG) remains deeply concerned by the dire humanitarian situation and harrowing reports of violence, killings and widespread sexual and gender-based violence.
That is why the UK's diplomatic work presses for the implementation of the peace agreement, constitutional reforms and good public financial management. These are essential for wider progress towards stability and prosperity of South Sudan. The UK took a leading role in renewing the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan and I am encouraged that HMG regularly raises concerns with South Sudanese authorities regarding impunity for those engaged in sub-national violence and sexual and gender-based violence.
The UK has repeatedly condemned the actions of the Sudanese security forces against protestors and called for those responsible for abuses to be held to account. The Sudanese authorities must fulfil their obligation to protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly across Sudan. The UK's Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan delivered this message directly to the Sudanese authorities on 27 September 2022.
South Sudan remains one of the world's least developed countries. The humanitarian situation is a man-made crisis being compounded by severe drought and flooding and disruptions to grain exports from Ukraine. Despite significant humanitarian assistance, between October and November 2022, an estimated 6.6 million people (54 per cent of the population) faced high acute
food insecurity in country, of which 2.2 million people are experiencing worse conditions in Emergency acute food insecurity and an estimated 61,000 people in Catastrophe acute food insecurity.
HMG also remains a leading donor in South Sudan, working with the UN and partners in responding to the humanitarian crisis, and funding crucial health and education services. For the 2022/23 financial year, the UK aims to provide approximately £156 million in humanitarian support to East Africa, of which South Sudan is a recipient. This builds on our support provided in 2021/22, which saw an estimated 450,000 people receive emergency food aid and daily water and sanitation provision for 86,000 of the most vulnerable displaced persons.
The UK also continues to support World Food Programme operations, contributes funds towards the Better Aid in Conflict programme and funds three positions in the South Sudanese peace process monitoring mechanisms.
The UK has used targeted sanctions to help tackle the culture of impunity for human rights abuses and those working against peace in South Sudan. The UK took a leading role at the UN Security Council in May 2021 to ensure sanctions and an arms embargo remain in place, complemented by UK autonomous sanctions regimes. Nine individuals have been sanctioned to date. In addition, the UK used new powers under the Global Anti-Corruption regime in April 2021 to sanction an individual whose corrupt acts contributed to ongoing instability and conflict in South Sudan.
As befits its priority status, I am assured that Ministers, along with officials from the British Embassy in Juba and across the FCDO network, will continue wider efforts to bring a lasting end to South Sudan's conflict and humanitarian crisis. Indeed, the UK reiterated its commitment to working constructively with South Sudan towards the establishment of a democracy where the rights of everyone are guaranteed and protected in July.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.