[{"bbox": [96, 151, 1136, 340], "category": "Text", "text": "As the Transitional Government of National Unity could not meet the targets set for implementation of the revitalised Peace Agreement, it had to extent its mandate by another two years with the hope that those targets that have not been met like hybrid court, unification of armed forces into one national army, Commission for Truth and Reconciliation and healing would be concluded paving way for a general election in February 2025. This has been received with mixed reactions from the South Sudanese citizens and international communities and it leaves to test the parties to the agreement whether or they can keep to their promise of conducting a free, fair, credible and transparent election."}, {"bbox": [96, 363, 1136, 472], "category": "Text", "text": "The breakdown in the rule of law and the widespread lack of accountability have worsened intercommunal conflict and violence at subnational levels, manifested through fighting between Government and opposition forces, militias, cattle raiding, and revenge killings. The UN Human Rights Council (September 2022) reported that subnational and localized violence remains pervasive, with clashes currently taking place in nine out of ten states."}, {"bbox": [96, 495, 1136, 710], "category": "Text", "text": "Decades of conflict in the country have led to the widespread proliferation of small arms throughout the population that are often used to settle disputes and continue to threaten the safety of communities and limit wider socio-economic development. Though difficult to establish the exact number of small and light arms in the civilian population, the presence of illicit arms in the country has contributed to a deteriorating security situation (especially in the rural and subnational levels) over the years. Widespread incidents of violence have resulted in the killing and maiming of civilians, including women and children. As a result, inter-communal violence (directly linked to use of small arms) accounted for more than 60 percent of the civilian deaths as of July 2022. Land grabbing and restrictions on access to land have also put the livelihoods of the smallholder and subsistence farmers at risk."}, {"bbox": [96, 735, 1136, 869], "category": "Text", "text": "Consequently and according to latest UNHCR reports (2022), there are 2 million internally displaced persons due to conflict, insecurity, and the impacts of climate change in South Sudan. In addition, over 500,000 South Sudanese refugees have returned to the country since the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018. The country still experience high poverty levels and humanitarian conditions persist. According to the UNDP 2021 Human Development Index (HDI), the country is ranked at 189 out of 189 nations."}, {"bbox": [96, 894, 1136, 1347], "category": "Text", "text": "As a result of a long history of conflict induced insecurity, and of prioritisation of the oil and security sectors at the expense of agriculture, forced displacements, poor infrastructure, climate change, and (more recently) the COVID-19 pandemic and the knock-on effects from Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine, South Sudan currently experiences acute food and nutrition insecurity. Populations in South Sudan are facing the worst food insecurity and malnutrition crisis since the country's independence in 2011. Food insecurity has worsened, mainly triggered by intensified violence and three consecutive years of unprecedented floods. Overall, the humanitarian situation is disastrous, with over 9.4 million people (76% of South Sudan's population), including almost 5 million children, in need of humanitarian assistance. According to the latest Food Security Outlook, South Sudan will continue to face one of the largest food security emergencies worldwide, with a credible scenario in which famine could occur, given the high proportion of the population likely to face large to extreme food consumption gaps and their vulnerability to new shocks. Famine though is only the tip of the iceberg. All in all, 7.8 million people, or 2/3 of the population are facing acute food insecurity (IPC3-5) with 43000 people in IPC 5. Malnutrition has also increased and will affect 1,4 million children under five in 2023. Coupled with the hyper-inflationary environment that has been triggered by the apparent mismanagement of public finances and low Government revenue base (the exact revenue from revenue oil production is unknown but believed to be significant and captured by the elites), the country has experienced unprecedented high food prices that have significantly affected large parts of the rural and urban populations that rely on markets for their dietary needs."}, {"bbox": [96, 1370, 1136, 1585], "category": "Text", "text": "Although cereal production in the country in 2020 rose by 7% over 2019 levels due to favourable rains and donor investments (including the EU), this remained far below pre-conflict average production levels in 2013. According to the FAO Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) report (June 2022), the 2021 net cereal production in the smallholder sector was estimated at about 839,500 tonnes, 4 percent below the 2020 output and well below the pre-conflict levels. The year-on-year decrease in cereal production is mainly driven by reduced yields due to prolonged dry spells and widespread floods, which had offset a slight increase in harvested area. Going forward and in 2022, high cereal deficits are expected due to the impact of prolonged subnational conflict and floods, leaving millions of South Sudanese extremely food insecure."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1680, 1144, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 7 of 39"}]