South Sudan Shifts Toward Proactive Disaster Planning

(JUBA) – South Sudan has moved a step closer to stronger disaster planning after stakeholders validated the country’s Revised Disaster Risk Management Policy at a meeting in Juba.

The event ran from 1st to 5th June 2026 and was organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, working with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.

Other partners were the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme and the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre.

The validation formed part of the Water at the Heart of Climate Action project, which is funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project supports communities in five Nile Basin countries to reduce water related risks and build climate resilience over time.

South Sudan is vulnerable to natural hazards such as seasonal flooding, drought and disease outbreaks, which climate change is making worse.

These disasters threaten livelihoods and damage infrastructure, and they also displace communities.

This adds to the risks faced by households already weakened by conflict and economic fragility.

Because these overlapping shocks erode development gains, the country needs strong national disaster risk governance that can move beyond reactive humanitarian response toward proactive resilience building.

Several participants came from South Sudan’s National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which brings together government officials, civil society, development partners and technical experts.

This wide participation is expected to help the policy blend input from different stakeholders and strengthen coordination across ministries and state authorities.

The policy supports South Sudan’s move from reactive emergency response toward proactive risk reduction, preparedness and anticipatory action.

It also addresses capacity gaps in disaster governance, follows international best practice and is nationally owned.

Since its formation in 2020, the national platform has become a key part of advancing the Sendai Framework and national disaster risk reduction priorities in South Sudan.

Its mix of stakeholders helps keep national strategies aligned across sectors, while resilience is strengthened through joint action by a broad group of actors.

In 2025, UNDRR supported the national platform in developing its terms of reference, which set out a structured, inclusive and sustainable approach to improving disaster risk governance at national level.

Since then, the platform has committed to meeting three times a year to propose clear recommendations for future action.

These meetings also reaffirm the platform’s shared commitment to coordinated disaster risk management efforts that lead to stronger, more resilient communities.

“As we validate this policy, I encourage all stakeholders to ensure that it remains inclusive, evidence based, and action oriented,” said Dr Victoria Anib, Head of Mission for IGAD in South Sudan.

“The voices of communities, women, youth, persons with disabilities, local authorities, academia, civil society, and the private sector must continue to shape its implementation. Resilience can only be achieved through collective action and strong partnerships.”

During the validation, stakeholders assessed whether the revised policy properly addresses emerging risks, including climate shocks, conflict dynamics and economic vulnerabilities in South Sudan.

A key part of their talks was finding ways to make anticipatory action a cornerstone of resilience.

The workshop also improved chances for resource mobilisation by showing that the policy is inclusive, evidence based and aligned with global standards.

Through its framework for integrating disaster risk reduction into national planning and development priorities, the revised policy helps the country move away from fragmented, reactive approaches.

It sets out clear institutional roles and responsibilities, so ministries, state authorities and partners can work together rather than in isolation.

The policy also aligns disaster risk reduction with climate adaptation, agriculture, water and economic development strategies, making sure resilience is built into all sectors.

“Disaster risk reduction must be integrated into all aspects of national development planning,” said Stephen Kueth Gach, Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission:

“Infrastructure, agriculture, health services, education systems, and urban development initiatives should all incorporate risk considerations. Building resilience into development projects ensures that investments remain sustainable and continue to serve communities even in times of crisis.”