South Sudan: Introduction

The document outlines South Sudan's challenges since its 2011 independence, including persistent political instability, a severe humanitarian crisis, and extreme economic dependence on oil. It highlights the impact of climate variability on agriculture and the country's efforts toward regional integration through the East African Community and the African Union.

• South Sudan faces a severe governance and stability crisis, characterized by widespread corruption and persistent conflict. The country ranked 180 out of 180 in Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index and was ranked 3rd in the 2024 Fragile States Index.
• The nation is experiencing a critical humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 7.5 to 7.7 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+) during 2025-2026, driven by economic crises, chronic conflict, and climate disasters such as floods.
• South Sudan's economy is highly vulnerable due to its extreme reliance on oil, which accounts for nearly all export earnings and approximately 90% of government revenue. This vulnerability was evidenced in 2024 when conflict in Sudan disrupted a pipeline that carried about 70% of South Sudan's oil exports, triggering a fiscal crisis.
• Climate change and variability, specifically severe droughts and floods, are crippling the country's infrastructure and agriculture. Building climate resilience is identified as a key development priority, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 13 and Agenda 2063.

APA

Chipanda, B. (2026). South Sudan: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=SS&topic=01-introduction

Chicago

Chipanda, Blessing. South Sudan: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=SS&topic=01-introduction.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chipanda |first1=Blessing |title=South Sudan: Introduction |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=15 June 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=SS&topic=01-introduction |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chipanda2026south, author = {Chipanda, Blessing}, title = {{South Sudan: Introduction}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=SS&topic=01-introduction}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }