By Otto Abut | CRN | Wednesday Aug,19,2026
The United Nations has renewed its call for the Government of South Sudan and all parties to the Revitalised Peace Agreement to investigate attacks against humanitarian personnel and ensure those responsible are held accountable.
The call was made as the world marked World Humanitarian Day, with the UN urging authorities to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law by protecting humanitarian workers, civilians and humanitarian assets and ensuring safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need.
The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, said every killing of a humanitarian worker must be investigated, and perpetrators brought to justice.
“The continued loss of humanitarian personnel, overwhelmingly South Sudanese nationals, is unacceptable,” Balakrishnan said.
He stressed that humanitarian workers and the communities they serve must never be targeted and should be allowed to operate safely without obstruction, harassment or politicization.
“Safe, sustained and principled access must be ensured, particularly in conflict-affected areas, and must never be used as a bargaining tool,” he said.
Balakrishnan said the courage of humanitarian workers must be matched by a collective commitment to their protection, noting that their safety is essential to ensuring life-saving assistance reaches millions of people across South Sudan.
The UN says the wider security environment remains deeply concerning. More than 450 incidents of violence against humanitarian workers and assets were reported between January and July 2026, more than double the number recorded during the same period in 2025.
Renewed conflict has forced some humanitarian organizations to relocate from operational areas, further limiting access to vulnerable communities.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, humanitarian organizations have continued their operations. Between January and June, humanitarian partners reached 2.6 million of the 4.3 million people targeted for assistance.
However, millions of people remain in need, while insecurity, access restrictions and bureaucratic impediments continue to make humanitarian operations increasingly difficult.
“This World Humanitarian Day, we honour the courage and commitment of humanitarian workers in South Sudan who continue to deliver life-saving assistance despite growing threats to their safety and security,” Balakrishnan said.
The UN says approximately 10 million people require humanitarian assistance in South Sudan in 2026, including more than 7.5 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
The Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) is currently only 35 per cent funded, putting the humanitarian response under severe financial pressure. The UN has warned that food assistance pipelines could face disruption from October if additional resources are not secured.
According to UN figures, 36 humanitarian staff and contractors have been killed in the line of duty since January, already exceeding the 31 killed throughout 2025.
“These are not just statistics,” the UN said. “Behind each loss was a parent, a son or daughter, a colleague, a friend, and a member of a community.”
The UN is therefore urging all parties to the conflict and relevant authorities to strengthen the protection of humanitarian personnel and ensure that aid workers can safely reach communities affected by conflict, hunger and other emergencies.