Africa › Sudan 26.07.2014

South Sudan food crisis worst in the world: UN

By AFP

This photo taken on July 9, 2014 shows an internally displaced South Sudanese elderly woman carrying a bag of relief food to her makeshift shelter at an IDP camp a in Malakal. By Ali Ngethi (AFP/File)

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - South Sudan's food crisis is now the worst in the world, the UN Security Council said Friday as it called for urgent funding to step up deliveries of desperately-needed aid.

Some 3.9 million people -- a staggering one in three people throughout the country -- are going hungry as the fighting in South Sudan continues, according to UN officials.

The Security Council described a "catastrophic food insecurity situation in South Sudan that is now the worst in the world" and said the country was on the threshold of a full-blown famine if fighting continues.

It called on countries that pledged 618 million dollars in aid for South Sudan at a conference in May to make good on their promises and to increase their commitment.

Fighting erupted in South Sudan in December, sparked by a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar.

The 15-member Council also condemned the latest round of fighting around the town of Nasir and reminded the warring sides that attacks against civilians may lead to war crimes prosecutions.