South Sudan on brink of famine: UN chief - Africa - Al Jazeera English

South Sudan on brink of famine: UN chief - Africa - Al Jazeera English:

 Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, has given warning that up to a million people could face famine in conflict-torn South Sudan unless there is immediate action.

Ban said on Wednesday that "life and death'' issues are facing the world's newest nation - fighting, malnutrition and dire humanitarian conditions".

He said "millions are going hungry today'' and the UN is seeing extremely high levels of malnutrition among hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the conflict, especially women and children.

His comments came before a meeting with Kristalina Georgieva, the EU commissioner responsible for humanitarian aid.

South Sudan has been swept by violence since December, when fighting broke out between troops loyal to the president, Salva Kiir, and his former deputy Riek Machar.

Thousands are believed to have been killed, and more than one million people have fled their homes. Humanitarian aid groups say they are in a race against time to prevent famine.