Humanitarian aid is being ‘weaponised’ in south Sudan, MSF warns

Humanitarian aid in South Sudan is being increasingly “instrumentalised” for political and military purposes, as the country’s long-running conflict continues to restrict access to lifesaving assistance, according to Asharq Al-Awsat via agencies on May 19th.

In a report released on May 19th, medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that aid agencies are facing growing obstruction in reaching communities in need, with both government and opposition-linked forces accused of limiting access to contested areas. The organisation said this is happening despite a worsening humanitarian crisis marked by widespread hunger and collapsing healthcare services.

South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, has remained unstable ever since, with cycles of civil war, corruption and poverty. Fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and forces aligned with rival Riek Machar has intensified over the past 18 months, with violence reported in 73 of the country’s 79 counties, according to monitoring group ACLED.

MSF said government authorities recently blocked its access to Akobo in Jonglei state, an area affected by recent clashes where the organisation was supporting one of the few functioning hospitals. It also reported targeted attacks on its facilities across the country between January 2025 and April 2026, warning that around 762,000 people had lost access to healthcare as a result.

The charity said all sides in the conflict were contributing to the politicisation of aid, restricting movement and undermining neutral humanitarian access.

The warning comes as several international partners reduce assistance due to funding cuts, while concerns grow over governance failures. A senior US State Department official recently accused the South Sudanese government of making “insincere promises of reform” in order to secure donor funding while obstructing aid delivery.

Meanwhile, the US embassy has said the crisis is deepening despite billions in oil revenue and foreign assistance, and the United Nations estimates that roughly two-thirds of the population is facing acute hunger.

Asharq Al-Awsat via agencies, Maghrebi.org