Washington, D.C. – On Thursday February 23, 2017 evening, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) released the following statement regarding the famine in South Sudan.
“In the wake of several years of internal conflict, growing insecurity and deliberate restriction of humanitarian activities, famine has been declared in parts of South Sudan. At risk are an estimated 4 million men, women, and children. These people are suffering not because of an absence of assistance, but because of the inability of U.S.,UK, EU and several other key international humanitarian players to access communities in need and provide critical lifesaving assistance.
“By mid-2017, experts estimate that the number of persons in South Sudan facing famine will increase to approximately 5.5 million people. It is therefore incumbent on the Government of South Sudan to ensure now that humanitarian organizations have the necessary access to help desperate citizens in need.
“I commend the tremendous efforts on the ground of dedicated humanitarian workers in South Sudan, such as USAID’s Office of Disaster Assistance and U..S. Ambassador Molly Phee and her team at U.S. Embassy Juba.”
