UN Relief Chief: Step up action now to avert famine in South Sudan

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, says urgent action is needed to avert a possibility of pushing more than one million people on the brink of starvation.

At the end of a two-day mission to South Sudan, O’Brien, said the humanitarian community is sounding an alarm to maintain the ability of the people to be alive and for the children to live a life free of death threats.

Mr. O’Brien undertook the mission to assess the humanitarian situation in Ganyiel in Southern Unity, two weeks after the government and the United Nations declared a famine in this part of the country.

With only US$100 million of the required US$1.6 billion raised, Mr. O’Brien encourages donors to step up now, contribute more cash to save the lives.

Mr. O’Brien spoke with Philip Wani in this interview