Findings around conflict sensitivity and food aid in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal

This briefing paper sheds light on some aspects of the conflict sensitivity of food aid in former Northern Bahr el Ghazal (NBeG). In contrast to other states, NBeG has been spared by large scale armed violence, but it is affected by a severe food security crisis that has forced tens of thousands of people to move to Sudan.1 Food insecurity has been chronic in NBeG, but has been further exacerbated by the economic crisis, large inflows of returnees from Sudan after 2011, a substantial reduction of trade, and the closing of the border with Sudan. At the same time, the operating environment for humanitarian agencies has become more complicated partly due to the creation of new states, counties, payams and chieftaincies. This briefing paper is based on semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions conducted in former NBeG (Aweil East and Aweil states) in late February and early March 2017.