Adeyinka Badeo, the WFP acting country representative and Jamal Arafat, the UNHCR representative in South Sudan who doubles as an interim UN resident and humanitarian coordinator during a talkshow in Eye Radio studio - Credit: Okot Emmanuel/Eye Radio | March 28, 2022

UN agencies have called on the government to protect humanitarian workers and vital life-saving food commodities destined to people in dire need.

The call came after a commercial convoy of 44 trucks carrying WFP food assistance came under attack from armed gunmen between Gadiang and Yuai in Jonglei State on 24 March.

Three people were reportedly killed and one was wounded in the attack.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Monday, WFP acting country representative Adeyinka Badeo said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and unhindered humanitarian access.

“The current communication is to the government of national unity and the responsibility to ensure safety and security for all citizens of the country, including the humanitarian community that are here to assist the most vulnerable people,” Badeo said.

“It is quite a challenge in the country and we fully understand that but there are certain areas of the country where it is known that the level of insecurity is quite high and therefore added effort should be made in these locations to ensure safety and security for the population.”

For his part, Jamal Arafat, UNHCR representative in South Sudan who doubles as an interim UN resident and humanitarian coordinator said the government has promised to guarantee the safety of humanitarian workers.

“It is a matter of principle, we have a general agreement with the government of South Sudan guaranteeing the humanitarian personnel and in particular humanitarian convoys,” Arafat said.

“This is part of South Sudan’s commitment to our presence in the country in general but it has also been reaffirmed on two occasions by the president himself in 2016 and in 2017.

“The general framework is very much guaranteeing our assistance and I would also say that certainly the people and the government of South Sudan have an interest in protecting us.”

Jamal also reiterates calls on the government to investigate each incident where humanitarian workers and cargo have been targeted.

He says targeted attacks on humanitarian convoys carrying food assistance to the needy is affecting the generosity of the donors.

“South Sudan is a country with high humanitarian needs and at the moment some 8.9 million people out of the population estimated at 12 millions are in need of humanitarian assistance,” said Arafat.

“The humanitarian assistance that flows into South Sudan is massive, it’s over one billion dollars every year and that even doesn’t meet a 100 percent of the needs. When the supply of this humanitarian assistance is threatened and when the perpetrators that threaten it go unpunished, this naturally affects the delivery of the assistance.

“It affects the confidence and morale of those who are doing the delivery, it also affects the action and the generosity of the donors who may not feel that it is not worth spending their money in that unsecure environment,” Arafat concluded.

Jamal believes bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring respect for humanitarian operations will ensure all agencies the ability to effectively assist the people of South Sudan.

Under international humanitarian law, all parties must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian relief for civilians in need and must ensure the freedom of movement of humanitarians.