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Horn of Africa

SOUTH SUDAN

TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS

SUPPORT PROGRAM

CONTEXT PROGRESS

South Sudan has vast water resources, most notably the Sudd The South Sudan Transboundary Waters Support Program,
wetland—one of the world’s largest. Nearly 90 percent of the which supports the South Sudan component of the Regional
country’s surface water is shared with neighboring countries, Climate Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa
making water management a critical issue for both national (RCRP), completed its second year of implementation, with
development and regional stability. The country’s water resources substantial progress across its three pillars, with a fourth
are vital for agriculture, livelihoods, and ecosystem services but pillar added in FY25. The program’s activities are designed to
are under increasing pressure from climate change, population strengthen the capacity of the Government of South Sudan to

growth, and the impacts of conflict and forced displacement. advance water cooperation, development, and management
The Sudd wetland plays a crucial role in regional hydrology, from the subnational to the transboundary level.

biodiversity, and climate regulation, providing flood attenuation,

moisture fluxes, and carbon sequestration that benefit all Nile PILLAR 1:
riparian states.
Support for Transboundary Water Management
Despite the need to sustainably manage these natural and Water Resources Planning
endowments, South Sudan faces significant challenges in water

governance. Institutional capacity is limited, infrastructure is This pillar aims to support the national government to identify water
underdeveloped, and the country’s ability to participate in regional management priorities and plans at local, national, and regional levels.
water management initiatives—such as activities of the NBI—is
constrained by technical and financial gaps. Weak early-warning The program advanced dialogue and consultation among

systems and limited data availability exacerbate the impacts of national authorities, humanitarian actors, and local stakeholders,

climate variability, including frequent floods and droughts. particularly in refugee hosting areas. Collaboration with the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Commission for

South Sudan experienced its worst flooding in 60 years in Refugee Affairs led to a comprehensive mapping of humanitarian
August 2024, driven by heavy rainfall, record water levels in and development agencies active in water-related initiatives in
Lake Victoria, and El Niño effects, which destroyed cropland three selected refugee settlements and host communities. A report

and caused widespread hunger, disease outbreaks, and will be produced to improve coordination, fill gaps, and leverage
displacement. South Sudan is the world’s most vulnerable country synergies among stakeholders.
to climate change and has the lowest level of coping capacity of
any country, according to the European Union’s INFORM Index. A holistic climate risk assessment is underway, focusing on
hazards, exposure, and vulnerability in these refugee areas
These challenges are further compounded by the country’s and host communities and will include an inventory of critical
recent history of violence, which has led to large‑scale climate‑vulnerable assets such as roads, flood embankments,

displacement and heightened vulnerability among both and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. Climate

refugees and host communities. Heavy flooding intensified the impacts exacerbate the vulnerability of refugees and host
country’s humanitarian crisis, causing 2 million South Sudanese to communities because of their greater exposure to extreme
be internally displaced, adding to the 576,000 refugees who have weather events, reliance on natural resources, and severely

arrived to escape from conflicts in neighboring countries. limited adaptive capacity.

Effective transboundary water management is essential for Targeted interventions will be identified to mitigate climate risks
South Sudan’s sustainable development, peacebuilding, and for refugees, internally displaced people, and host communities.
regional cooperation. These include policy and regulatory improvements, integration of

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