Latest Situation

South Sudan

Fighting erupted in South Sudan's capital Juba on 15 December 2013 and has spread to other parts of the country. Over a thousand civilians have been killed and over 200,000 have fled their homes to the bush or United Nations bases, including the Awerial refugee camp on the banks of the Nile which is now home to 85,000 people. They are living in increasingly dire conditions, as the ongoing conflict makes it difficult to provide humanitarian support to those in need.

Central African Republic

A conflict in the Central African Republic has broken out since the March coup by the Seleka rebel coalition. More than 935,000 people have been displaced by the conflict, including some 214,000 since 5 December 2013, in Bangui alone. Needs are extreme for basic assistance. The United Nation has declared this a “system wide Level 3 crisis”, their highest category.

Oxfam’s Response

South Sudan

Oxfam's team in Juba is working to improve conditions at two sites (known as Juba 3 and TongPing) where over 20,000 people have gathered. We are reaching more than 20,000 people with safe drinking water, more than 250 latrines, and bathing cabins. We are running hygiene promotion activities to prevent the outbreak of disease, and helping people to keep the facilities clean.
We have been working in the region for 30 years and are collaborating with the UN and other agencies to get food, clean water and sanitation facilities to those most in need. We have identified a need for 2,000 latrines to be dug for around a population of 80,000 people.

Oxfam also urges all parties to the negotiations taking place in Addis Ababa to reach a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict. Protection of human rights, regardless of citizen’s political or ethnic identity, must also be at the core of the resolution.

Central African Republic

After an assessment to the crisis made in October, Oxfam is launching a 18 months humanitarian intervention in Central African Republic and responding to the immediate needs of refugees in Southern Chad. Our humanitarian works will start in January, focusing on access to safe  water supply, sanitation and hygiene, and food and nutritional security for internally displaced persons, refugees and vulnerable host populations along the border.