South Sudan: Akobo Counts the Cost of War Ahead of Elections
By News

As South Sudan prepares for national elections scheduled for December 2026, the town of Akobo in Jonglei state illustrates the humanitarian toll of the country’s renewed conflict. A report published by The New Humanitarian on 13 October 2026 describes looted health facilities, barely functioning schools, widespread malnutrition and tens of thousands of people returning from Ethiopia to a town that has changed hands twice this year. The situation matters for aid agencies because needs are rising while access remains contested and the political outlook is uncertain.

Context: a flashpoint near the Ethiopian border

Akobo lies in eastern Jonglei, close to the border with Ethiopia. According to The New Humanitarian, the town has been a flashpoint between government and opposition forces since renewed fighting broke out last year, after the collapse of the 2020 unity government between the ruling SPLM and the SPLM/A-IO. Opposition leader Riek Machar is under house arrest and faces treason charges.

The army took Akobo in March 2026, and widespread looting followed; opposition forces retook the town in April. Human rights groups have accused government forces, backed by the Ugandan military, of incendiary bombing that killed civilians, while relief workers have accused the government of withholding aid from opposition-held areas. SPLM/A-IO fighters and others have also been accused of looting and abuses, the report notes.

The displacement has been large. The UN estimated that the Akobo area had about 270,000 people before the offensive, and more than 100,000 fled to Ethiopia. The International Organization for Migration recorded 79,000 returnees by the end of August, though current population estimates range widely, from 119,000 to 270,000.

Humanitarian needs and access

The New Humanitarian describes health facilities that have been looted and lack beds, medicines and equipment, with staff not receiving regular salaries and a maternity ward unable to perform caesarean sections. A school serving 450 pupils was looted, and a local teacher said children had missed several months of lessons. “People’s livelihoods have been destroyed,” said Mac Anyang Yuang, WFP’s team coordinator in Akobo.

The crisis in Akobo sits within a wider national emergency. WFP estimates that 7.8 million South Sudanese, more than half the population, face high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the report. A September analysis by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) states that more than 2.5 million people are internally displaced and over 10 million need assistance.

Access constraints add to the challenge. In July, OCHA said restrictions on cash, fuel and communications equipment entering opposition areas were affecting essential assistance, The New Humanitarian reports. Residents also describe cattle raids by armed groups, which further erode livelihoods.

Elections and the outlook for aid operations

The elections would be South Sudan’s first-ever national vote. However, The New Humanitarian notes that there is no voter registration database and no census, and observers say conditions for a credible vote are absent. The ISS analysis, written by researchers at its Nairobi office, reports that the National Elections Commission is underfunded and lacks a voter register, and cites the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan as saying the country lacks “many of the safeguards and conditions for peaceful and credible polls”. The ISS authors suggest a time-bound extension with a clear roadmap as one possible path; how events unfold remains uncertain.

For humanitarian organisations, election periods often bring heightened security risks, movement restrictions and the need for careful contingency planning, alongside continued delivery of food, health, education and protection services.

What this means for NGO job seekers

South Sudan remains one of Africa’s largest humanitarian operations, and the needs described in Akobo point to demand in several areas:

  • Health and nutrition, clinical officers, midwives, and nutrition staff to support damaged facilities and treat malnutrition.
  • Education in emergencies, teachers, catch-up learning and school rehabilitation coordinators.
  • Protection and returns, protection monitors, case managers and staff supporting returnees and displacement tracking.
  • Food security and livelihoods, including livestock and cash programming.
  • Safety, security and access, roles that become especially important around elections.

National staff with local language skills and community networks are particularly valued in areas such as Jonglei. International applicants should demonstrate experience in hard-to-reach, insecure settings and a solid understanding of humanitarian principles and conflict sensitivity.

Find current vacancies on our NGO jobs in South Sudan page, compare opportunities in neighbouring Ethiopia, or use NGO jobs by country and Browse Jobs to search more widely. Our career resources include guidance on applications and interviews.

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