Description: UN’s undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, Tom Fletcher, has warned that South Sudan risks becoming another humanitarian and security flashpoint as fighting continues between the White Army Militia and the military. The latest assessment estimates that numerous humanitarian compounds have been looted by either rebels or government forces while nutrition centers have been destroyed. Fletcher assessed that more than 7.5 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian aid while more than 140 thousand have been displaced in Jonglei state since the reignition of hostilities.
Impact: The withdrawal of international aid organizations such as USAID and global economic and geopolitical factors are likely crippling organizations such as the UN in tackling humanitarian crises due to substantial financing issues. Violence in South Sudan has reflected through a widening refugee and humanitarian crisis while regional destabilizing factors such as the ongoing civil war in neighboring Sudan and recent flare up in tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are sparking concerns over a wider crisis in central and eastern Africa. UN’s inability to directly dedicate means both material and diplomatic would likely cause the situation to further deteriorate, however, neither the government nor the rebel forces are currently demonstrating willingness for severe escalation. Small – scale armed confrontations are likely expected which could widen the humanitarian crisis, potentially escalating the conflict.