The UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination Affairs is appealing for $1.6 billion to provide assistance in South Sudan this year.

The money will be used to help more than 5 million people across the country.

In a statement, the Coordinator for OCHA, Eugene Owusu says the money is needed urgently in order to enable them preposition food ahead of the rainy season.

The funding will also enable OCHA deploy aid workers across South Sudan to respond rapidly to the situation.

“The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has deteriorated dramatically due to the devastating combination of conflict, economic decline and climatic shocks,” said Owusu.

“In 2017, we are facing unprecedented needs, in an unprecedented number of locations, and these needs will increase during the upcoming lean season.”

Mr. Owusu says the needs of people in South Sudan will increase during the upcoming lean season.

According to UN estimates, 3.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes since 2013.

More than half of them are internally displaced, while others fled as refugees to neighboring countries.

“It is imperative that this appeal is funded early, and funded fully, so that the aid workers deployed across South Sudan can respond robustly and rapidly,” he added.

On Monday, OCHA reported that more than one million children under the age of five years and 300,000 pregnant and lactating mothers are acutely malnourished across the country.