Mark Lowcock, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs arrives at Juba on Tue, May 15, 2018 | UNOCHA photo

The visiting UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs has told the transitional government that the international community is concerned about the suffering of the people of South Sudan.

Mark Lowcock – who is also the Emergency Relief Coordinator – arrived this morning in Juba where he held discussions with senior government officials, including the ministers of defense and cabinet affairs and RRC representatives.

During the meetings, Defense Minister Kuol Manyang told him that fighting in various parts of the country is one of the issues hampering aid delivery to the needy.

Addressing the media this afternoon, Lowcock said it will require collective efforts to address the humanitarian situation.

“If we can work together in a better way to relieve people’s suffering. I’m sure that is in everybody’s interest – whatever their political perspective or whatever part of the country they come from,” Lowcock stressed.

“We need to work together to achieve that goal because, as the honorable minister said, there have been some problems; some serious problems in achieving that goal. So there is a shared goal and we need to work together more effectively to achieve the goal.”

He is expected to visit Yei Town tomorrow to witness the humanitarian situation there.

According to the UNOCHA, nearly 4.3 million people have been displaced by conflict in South Sudan where over half of the population is severely food insecure.