The government of Japan has pledged USD 2.5 million to support a new climate resilience project in South Sudan, a country increasingly battered by devastating floods and other climate-related shocks. The funds, to be channeled through the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), were formally announced in Juba on Tuesday and will target some of the most vulnerable communities in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal and Warrap states.
South Sudan has emerged as one of the continent’s most exposed nations to the climate crisis. In 2024 alone, more than 1.4 million people were affected by flooding, with around 380,000 forcibly displaced as waters swept away homes, destroyed harvests, killed livestock, and dismantled fragile livelihoods. The new Japanese funding is intended to help break this cycle of disaster and displacement by reinforcing early warning systems, upgrading basic infrastructure, and promoting sustainable sources of income.
At the signing ceremony, Japan’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Odagiri Toshio, described the floods as an existential challenge that requires both immediate interventions and long-term strategies. He explained that the contribution would directly benefit more than 25,000 people, including refugees, internally displaced persons, and host communities. The funds, he said, will go toward strengthening disaster preparedness, building climate-resilient shelters and sanitation facilities, and supporting food security through investments in solar irrigation and agroforestry.
“This is a commitment to creating a future where the people of South Sudan are better equipped to face the challenges of climate change and conflict,” Ambassador Odagiri said. He emphasized that the initiative aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), to which Japan has been a leading contributor, and reflects commitments made at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9).
The UNHCR welcomed the contribution, stressing that it comes at a time when climate-induced displacement continues to rise. Marie-Helene Verney, the UNHCR Representative to South Sudan, said the project would give families the means not just to survive the next flood, but to adapt and rebuild with greater resilience. “We are grateful to the Government of Japan for its recognition of the link between climate-related disasters and forced displacement,” she noted. “This project will help families put food on the table, reduce the risk of losing everything again, and plan for a future that is less uncertain.”
South Sudan’s government also underscored the importance of the funding. Joseph Africano Bartel, Undersecretary for Environment at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, explained that the grant builds on wider national efforts to shift from purely humanitarian aid to long-term climate resilience. He highlighted a USD 50 million project being developed with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in partnership with UNHCR and the World Food Programme, aimed at strengthening adaptation capacities in the same flood-prone states.
“We believe there are many projects that need support, but our vision is clear—we must balance humanitarian assistance with development so that peace can be achieved through growth,” Africano said.
The Japanese funding, though modest compared to South Sudan’s broader financing needs, carries symbolic and practical weight. It underscores the urgency of investing in climate-proof systems in a region where disasters routinely reverse development gains. It also reflects a growing recognition among international partners that resilience and humanitarian stability are inseparable in fragile states like South Sudan.
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For South Sudan, the project is a vital step toward protecting communities that have endured years of compounded crises—conflict, displacement, and now the escalating impacts of climate change. For Africa more broadly, it stands as another reminder that climate resilience is not a distant goal but an immediate necessity, demanding both international solidarity and stronger regional cooperation.
