The World Food Programme (WFP), in a Geneva briefing published on September 15, said conflict, displacement, economic hardship, climate shocks and the war in neighbouring Sudan were worsening food insecurity in South Sudan. Its account said 7.8 million people struggle to find food each day, while 2.2 million children and 1.2 million pregnant or breastfeeding women need urgent nutrition support.

WFP warned that, without additional resources, more than one million people could lose access to lifesaving food and nutrition assistance by October. It said its Malakal logistics hub held less than 300 metric tons of food, compared with 10,000 metric tons at the same point the previous year, and reported an $86 million funding gap at the time plus a $416 million gap for the following six months. These figures reflect WFP's September 15 assessment and funding needs; they are not a new independent count or evidence that the projected aid cuts had already occurred.