Republic of South Sudan - Poverty and Equity Assessment 2024

This poverty assessment has confirmed that poverty is endemic and food insecurity dire in South Sudan despite the country's abundant wealth in natural resources. The report finds widespread and extreme poverty that stems from a combination of historical and systemic problems, including persistent conflicts and violence, the absence of the state, and poor governance and economic management aggravated by extreme and recurrent natural disasters. The assessment makes clear that household strategies to cope with or guard against risk often exacerbate vulnerability. The capacity of most South Sudanese to withstand future shocks is severely limited or entirely depleted. The prevailing socioeconomic system has consistently eroded the living standards of the South Sudanese. It is therefore critical to change course and do things differently to reduce poverty and build resilience. The report concludes that addressing conflict and state failure is critical for strengthening and rebuilding the livelihoods of conflict-affected people