Pope Francis has appealed to the international community not to turn its back on South Sudan at this time of need.
The Pope made the appeal while speaking to internally displaced people in Juba over the weekend.
He wanted to hear for himself the grievances and testimony of the IDPs who have been enduring suffering in the camps since the outbreak of the conflict in December 2013.
“To be sure, a country cannot survive on external means of support, especially if it possesses a territory so rich in resources. “At the present time, however, those means of support are badly needed,” he said.
“I plead with everyone from the heart: Let us help South Sudan.” Let us not abandon its population. “They have suffered, and they continue to suffer so greatly,” Pope Francis pleaded.
He stressed that it was crucial to provide the population with aid while also accompanying them on the path of development.
He said this could be done by assisting with learning up-to-date practices in the areas of agriculture and livestock management in order to be more self-reliant.
In her remarks, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator, and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, said the Pope’s visit was a historic chance to bring attention to the situation in South Sudan at a time when several humanitarian crises are simultaneously erupting.
She said that South Sudan’s humanitarian situation is worrying and that the country is currently experiencing one of the greatest food crises in the world as a result of the insecurity that is being aggravated by inter-communal conflict, crimes, and impunity.
“An estimated eight million people are expected to experience food insecurity in 2023. While people’s needs are increasing, the resources available to support them are dwindling. “By 2023, humanitarian partners will need $1.7 billion to respond to the needs of 6.8 million people,” she stated,
The Pope expressed gratitude to the ecclesiastical communities for their deserving efforts, as well as to missionaries and international and humanitarian organizations, particularly the United Nations, for their crucial work.