FILE PHOTO: UN Helicopters being used by the UN Mission in South Sudan – Credit: EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid

Thirty-six humanitarian workers have been killed in South Sudan this year, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, Anita Kiki Gbeho, told the UN Security Council.

In a statement assessing the nation’s trajectory, Anita Kiki Gbeho reported 391 recorded access incidents—an increase compared to the same period last year.

She stated that violence displaced over 420,000 people between January and June, driven by conflict in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area and surrounding regions.

The displacement adds to conditions marked by food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and funding shortfalls.

“The humanitarian situation remains concerning,” Gbeho stated. “South Sudan also hosts approximately 1.4 million people fleeing the conflict in Sudan, placing pressure on national capacities and humanitarian services.”

Gbeho noted health threats, including cholera outbreaks and the risk of Ebola along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Humanitarian personnel themselves face danger,” Gbeho said, stating that the operating environment for aid organizations has not improved.

Addressing the political landscape, Gbeho stated that political division and economic constraints affect progress under the Revitalized Peace Agreement and preparations for national elections.

She cited questions regarding the political, security, and institutional conditions required for elections.

“Specifically, questions persist regarding political trust, civic and political space, security arrangements, financing, constituency boundaries, and institutional preparedness,” Gbeho said.

The UN envoy noted steps taken by the government, including its pledge not to engage in renewed hostilities. However, she stated the pledge must anchor in the 2017 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement to reduce violence on the ground.

Gbeho also noted that South Sudan maintains open borders for people escaping conflict in neighboring Sudan, despite constraints on domestic resources.