One hundred and fourteen aid groups are appealing for $1.3 billion to respond to the most life-threatening needs of 5.1 million of people across South Sudan this year.

The organizations, including international and national NGOs, and UN agencies, officially launched today in Juba, the South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2016.

“This appeal must be fully funded. It presents the bare minimum required to respond to the most urgent needs, and these needs cannot go unanswered,” said Eugene Owusu, Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.

“The challenge we face is unprecedented but we must not give up.”

In 2015, humanitarian partners worked to reach people in need, delivering life-saving assistance and protection to more than 4.4 million people across South Sudan by the end of November, including in some of the most remote locations.

More than 2.3 million people – one in every five people in South Sudan – have been forced to flee their homes since the conflict began and 3.9 million people were severely food insecure in September 2015, according to UNOCHA.

More than 680,000 children under age 5 are estimated to be severely malnourished.

Communicable diseases, already endemic across South Sudan, have spread at an alarming rate.

“It’s the sincere hope of the humanitarian community that 2016 will bring long-lasting peace to this young and potentially great nation and replace the desperation and devastation we have seen in 2015 with hope for a brighter future,” Mr Owusu added.