The new World Bank report Rising from the Depths: Water Security and Fragility in South Sudan describes the impact of floods and other water-related threats on South Sudan’s communities
South Sudan is already a global hotspot of flood risk, ranking 7th in the world for share of total country population exposed to river floods. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
The report also shows that water insecurity is an existential threat to South Sudan, with the lack of access to safe water supply and sanitation being a core issue of concern for the dignity and well-being of millions of South Sudanese.
More than 60% of the population are using water from contaminated water sources such as surface water and unprotected wells, while 75% of the population are practicing open defecation. In addition to this, South Sudan also experiences frequent droughts, especially in the south-east and north-east, which affect the mobility of pastoralists and farmers who rely on natural resources for their livelihoods.
The report highlights five priorities:
- The country needs to strengthen the policy and institutional frameworks to guide water sector investments and ensure their sustainability.
- It is essential to address the water supply and sanitation crisis by strengthening service delivery models for rural populations, enabling sustainable use and management of groundwater resources, and promoting climate-resilient solutions.
- Advancing disaster risk preparedness and early warning systems will help prevent flood losses and economic damages that are hindering growth prospects.
- There are substantial opportunities to harness the productive potential of water through investments supporting domestic fish production, wetland restoration, and flood-recession agriculture.
- A comprehensive portfolio of water management infrastructure solutions is needed over the long term, with careful attention to the social and environmental impacts of investments.
