The U.S. Embassy in Juba joins the UN and international community in condemning the recent killings of humanitarian aid workers in South Sudan. In the past week alone, two separate attacks in South Sudan’s Jonglei State resulted in the deaths of two aid workers and injuries to three staff. The overall increase in violence has resulted in the deaths of nine aid workers in South Sudan to date in 2020. Since the 2013 outbreak of conflict, 124 aid workers – most of whom were South Sudanese — have lost their lives in the line of duty. Moreover, half of all reported humanitarian access incidents during 2020 have involved violence, or threats of violence, against humanitarian workers and assets. As a result, lifesaving assistance has been delayed or interrupted, resulting in the loss of lives of vulnerable South Sudanese citizens.
In order to continue delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance, the U.S. Embassy in Juba and the broader humanitarian community in South Sudan calls upon authorities and communities at all levels to guarantee the safety and security of aid workers, humanitarian assets, and all the people who access humanitarian services.
The United States is the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance to the people of South Sudan, providing nearly $692 million in humanitarian aid in FY 2020 through UN and NGO partners. The U.S. Embassy, along with the international community, reiterates its commitment to supporting the people of South Sudan.
