David Beasley, WFP’s executive director in an interview with Eye Radio on Thursday, Oct 24, 2019 | Credit | Emmanuel Akile

Without establishment of a new government next month, the humanitarian situation could worsen in South Sudan, the World Food Program has said.

Parties to the revitalized peace agreement agreed in Addis Ababa in May this year that the new government shall be established on 12 November.

However, opposition leaders Dr. Riek Machar and Dr. Lam Akol argue that the security arrangements should first be put in place before the coalition government is formed.

Members of the public have also expressed mixed views over the matter.

David Beasley, WFP’s executive director, urges the leaders to quickly resolve the outstanding issues before the 12 November deadline.

“The November 12th deadline is the most luminous issue before us and we are talking about it. In the next two weeks, if this is not resolved it could have catastrophic consequences for the people of both Sudans,” Beasley told Eye Radio in Juba on Thursday.

“If [leaders] put the people first, I believe they will find a peaceful solution. But if they put themselves first, then there will be war and that’s our problem.”

David Beasley further stated that WFP is facing shortfalls in its funding of the humanitarian assistance for South Sudan.

South Sudan is in the midst of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis driven by over four years of civil war, which has reportedly caused nearly 400,000 deaths.

Half of the population are facing extreme hunger and are in need of urgent aid, according to UN agencies.

Donors have been providing hundreds of millions of dollars to help aid organizations and UN agencies respond to the humanitarian crisis since the conflict erupted in December 2019.

Beasley said the leaders need to bring an end to years of violence and return South Sudan to the path of development.

“The leaders in South Sudan will understand that the donor fatigue is real, and if we don’t get the money we need, they are going to have greater problems than they would have ever imagined. So, they need to bring peace,” he added.