South Sudan

South Sudan has been a priority country for the Swiss Humanitarian Aid since its creation in July 2011. Switzerland mainly focuses on food security and livelihoods, protection of civilians and promotion of human rights, as well as peace- and nation-building.

South Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The country lives its fourth year of conflict, marked with violence and massive population displacement in and outside the country. Since February 2017, the state of famine was declared in several parts of the world’s youngest nation. 

Various units of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) together with other Departments of the Confederation are involved in efforts to provide emergency relief and recovery (SDC Humanitarian Aid), development assistance (SDC South Cooperation), conflict resolution support (Human Security Division) and the expertise of staff officers and humanitarian mine clearance specialists (Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport – DDPS).

Food security and livelihood

South Sudan suffers from a chronic lack of food security for a variety of reasons: conflict and violence, rising prices for basic foodstuffs, difficult humanitarian access, logistical constraints and climate change. SDC’s aim is to help securing safe access to food for the most vulnerable and to help producers to become self-sufficient. It supports projects of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), its principal multilateral partners in the food security sector in South Sudan. SDC also contributes to the work of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and international NGOs in training farmers in the diversification of agricultural products in the province of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and in the Equatorias. It also supports food production and income generation for the urban poor in and around Juba is another example of livelihood support.

Agriculture and food security

Protection of civilians and promotion of human rights

SDC aims at ensuring the protection of civilians, focusing on the immediate needs of the most vulnerable victims and displaced persons; and empowering communities to create a safer environment for themselves. The safety of women and children is a matter of particular concern. Gender-responsive interventions and the prevention as well as the response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) are priorities. Switzerland is committed to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for these vulnerable populations.

Furthermore the DDPS has seconded several staff officers as well as humanitarian demining specialists to the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS).

Fragility and violence impede poverty reduction

Peace- and nation-building

The Human Security Division (HSD), together with SDC supports peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan. It focusses on the following key areas:

• Fostering spaces for genuine and inclusive dialogue among South Sudanese constituencies that respond to citizens’ needs for peaceful coexistence, social cohesion, governance, truth, justice and accountability;

• where possible, support viable and equitable options towards nation-building;

• ensure greater conflict sensitivity among donors and implementing partners intervening in South Sudan. 

Approach and partners

Switzerland takes a holistic approach by combining humanitarian aid, development cooperation, multilateral instruments, diplomatic measures as well as peace-building approaches. Partners include:

• International and national NGOs
• UN Agencies
• Civil society organisations

History

The new state of South Sudan was created on 9 July 2011 following several decades of civil war. It became the 193^rd member of the United Nations and the 54^th member of the African Union. Before this, as early as 1994, the Swiss Humanitarian Aid was assisting victims of war in the region. A Programme Office was set up in Juba in 2006, which in 2011 became a Cooperation Office. The same year it opened a programme office in Aweil, a city located in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, devoted to water and sanitation projects. Early 2017, the SDC decided to close it after the successful completion of all projects.