South Sudan — the world’s youngest nation, born in 2011 with the world’s highest hopes — is now described in the bluntest possible terms by the international monitors who track it. Human Rights Watch’s 2026 World Report opens its South Sudan chapter with a sentence that leaves no room for diplomatic hedging: the human rights situation has significantly deteriorated, with escalating political violence, intensified armed clashes between government forces and opposition factions, and a deepening humanitarian crisis that is pushing millions of people toward starvation.
A Conflict That Never Ended
South Sudan’s civil war officially ended in 2018 with the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). In practice, the agreement has unravelled in slow motion. Armed factions outside the formal peace structure control large swaths of territory. Elections scheduled for 2023 were postponed.
The Hunger Clock Is Ticking
In several regions, armed groups have deliberately destroyed crops, blocked humanitarian access, and used hunger as a weapon of war. The IPC currently classifies millions of South Sudanese as being in Crisis or Emergency phases of food insecurity.
The International Response and Its Limits
UNMISS remains the primary international presence in South Sudan, with a mandate to protect civilians and support the peace process. But the Mission has been repeatedly criticized for failing to prevent violence in areas where it has a presence.
A People Who Have Waited Long Enough
What is most striking — and most underreported — is the resilience and patience of South Sudanese civilians themselves. Local civil society organizations document violations, distribute food, and advocate for accountability with minimal international support.
South Sudan is not a lost cause. But the window for turning things around is narrowing fast.