Threatened by floods, South Sudan Unity state hopes for help from UN

The Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) witnessed first-hand the threats to community safety in Unity State and, in response, deferred closing a UN base there.

On 1 March 2026, communities in the remote Abiemnhom region of South Sudan were abruptly woken by the sound of heavy gunfire as their town came under attack.

Thousands fled to the United Nations base, seeking refuge with Mongolian peacekeepers who immediately opened the gates of their temporary base, providing protection and medical treatment to dozens of injured.

Today, many families are still struggling to rebuild after having their homes and crops burnt and looted. They also continue to live in fear of further violence.

In response, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan deferred plans to close the base despite financial pressures and is continuing to do its utmost to deter conflict through robust patrolling, engagement with community leaders, and support for reconciliation and peace processes.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS said, “In Abiemnhom, it was around the fact that they were concerned we would leave and that, as a community, they would be vulnerable without us. I assured them that the UN has a mandate to protect civilians, so we would stay with the people of Abiemnhom, but did encourage them and promised them that we would support them in trying to find solutions to the communal violence that was taking place.”

The threat of flooding

During a visit to the area, Gbeho met with local authorities, communities and peacekeepers to see the challenges firsthand and understand what further support is needed.

Unity State is facing a broader protection threat as the rainy season is predicted to intensify in the coming months, with the risk that catastrophic flooding will further exacerbate the already dire security and humanitarian situation.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, said, “There have been a number of issues in that area which range from security, communal violence, a concern around flooding and the level of water that is around the Bentiu area. This is supposed to be an El Nino year and a super El Nino year, so concerns that we're going to have both drought and flooding.”

The threat is heightened in Unity because it is already inundated by extraordinary floods that first hit in 2019, leaving Bentiu town surrounded by thousands of kilometers of floodwaters.

These waters have continued to rise year-on-year during seasonal rains.

A fresh surge would increase pressure on the vast network of dykes built and maintained by UNMISS engineering peacekeepers and humanitarian partners, protecting hundreds of thousands of displaced families and the host community.

“The biggest challenge is to deal with the flooding because communities are vulnerable,” explained Nyier Gatchang Pouch, Community High Committee Chairperson in the Bentiu displacement camp. “We cannot access or provide a mechanism to block the flooding unless there is intervention from UNMISS or the Government.”

Building dykes for protection

Communities want the government to take the lead in strengthening and repairing the dykes, improving drainage, and preparing evacuation routes, which will be critical to protecting lives and livelihoods before the floods peak.

“Communities have no possibility by themselves to do anything. We have no capacity to construct dykes. We have no capacity to do anything because the water is beyond the level,” stated Nyier Gatchang Pouch.

Despite mounting challenges, UNMISS’ commitment is unwavering as peacekeepers continue to work alongside those they serve to prepare for emerging threats, strengthen community safety, and promote peace.

For the Head of UNMISS, the solutions to all the challenges are grounded in a simple truth. “When we talk about overcoming the multitude of concerns, my answer is that the foundation for this lies in peace.”