WFP trucks deliver vital food assistance. — Courtesy photo

The government of Japan has allocated more than 2.2 million United States dollars to the World Food Programme (WFP) to support nutrition services in South Sudan.

The grant was signed on Wednesday in Juba by the Charge d’Affaires of Japan to South Sudan and WFP representatives.

The funding comes as more than 7.8 million people across the country face high levels of acute food insecurity, while more than 2.2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

According to Hiromoto Oyama, the Charge d’Affaires of Japan to South Sudan, the funding will enable WFP to provide nutrition services to more than 40,000 women and children in the areas most affected by the crisis.

The hardest-hit areas include Greater Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Warrap and parts of Greater Bahr el Ghazal states.

“Severe funding shortages are threatening the continuity of essential nutrition services without urgent support, more than 222,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women could lose access to nutrition assistance from October. Those vulnerable children and mothers are in dire need of timely intervention to save them from severe malnutrition and loss of life”.

WFP South Sudan Representative and Country Director Mutinta Chimuka said the agency will not be able to assist the 650,000 internally displaced people living in South Sudan by the end of September due to inadequate funding.

Chimuka called on the transitional government and all parties to pursue political de-escalation and genuine inclusive dialogue.

She also urged authorities to protect humanitarian personnel and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout South Sudan.