By Alan Clement
South Sudan has been named among 17 crisis-affected countries set to benefit from a new US–UN humanitarian agreement supporting a 2026 plan to reach 87 million people with life-saving assistance.
The inclusion follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on December 29, under which millions of lives are expected to be saved across conflict- and disaster-hit countries.
According to a UN-OCHA communique, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher described the agreement as “a landmark” moment for global humanitarian response, emphasizing its life-saving impact across countries facing protracted crises, including South Sudan.
“A number that really matters here is that millions of lives will be saved across 17 countries,” Fletcher said in a statement.
“And as a result of what we’re discussing today, millions more will get the support they so badly need,” he added.
South Sudan remains one of the world’s most severe and protracted humanitarian emergencies, with millions of people requiring food assistance, health services, and protection amid ongoing conflict, climate shocks, and economic fragility.
Its inclusion places the country alongside Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Syria, Myanmar, Haiti, Ukraine, and others facing large-scale humanitarian needs.
According to Fletcher, the new agreement supports OCHA’s 2026 humanitarian plan, which has been “hyper-prioritized” to focus strictly on life-saving interventions and reduce duplication and bureaucracy within the aid system.
“This is in support of our 2026 plan to reach 87 million people next year with life-saving support,” he said.
“We have hyper-prioritized that plan to make sure that it is as efficient as possible, removing duplication and bureaucracy from the system,” Fletcher added.
The United States is a leading donor to humanitarian operations in South Sudan, funding food assistance, emergency health services, nutrition programs, and protection for displaced populations.
The new MoU signals continued U.S. engagement, while also reinforcing demands for reform and accountability within the humanitarian system.
Fletcher acknowledged those expectations directly, saying U.S. support is tied to stricter oversight of how aid funds are spent.
“US taxpayers expect accountability. Part of the programme ahead of us is a mechanism that will deliver that accountability for every dollar we spend, to make sure that it is saving lives,” he stressed.
Humanitarian operations in South Sudan have long faced scrutiny over efficiency, access constraints, and the rising cost of delivering aid in remote and conflict-affected areas.
Aid agencies have welcomed moves to streamline coordination and focus resources on the most urgent needs, particularly as global humanitarian funding comes under increasing pressure.
Fletcher said the agreement reflects confidence in a reform agenda he described as a “Humanitarian Reset,” centered on prioritization, efficiency, reform, regrouping, and renewal of the global humanitarian system.
“The thought leadership that the US has brought to this reform programme is a vote of confidence and trust that we will reform, and that we can reform,” he said.
Beyond funding, the UN humanitarian chief stressed that assistance alone will not reduce long-term needs in countries like South Sudan, linking the success of the aid plan to broader diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts.
“Nothing will do more to bring down the numbers of people in need than peacemaking,” Fletcher said, calling for 2026 to be “a year of diplomacy and peacemaking.”
South Sudan’s humanitarian crisis is largely driven by conflict-related displacement, inter-communal violence, flooding, and economic instability. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that without political progress and sustained peace efforts; humanitarian needs will remain high despite continued international assistance.
The new MoU also covers humanitarian operations in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Uganda, Kenya, and Chad, as well as contributions to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which provides rapid funding for emergencies.
Fletcher said the agreement marks the beginning not the end of the work ahead.
“The life-saving announcement is not the end of the process; it is the beginning,” he said adding, “We will be held to account for delivering in 2026, and you have my commitment that we will succeed.”
For South Sudan, the agreement reinforces its position as a top-priority humanitarian context while placing renewed emphasis on efficiency, accountability, and measurable life-saving outcomes as aid agencies prepare for another year of large-scale emergency response.