Assessing the Feasibility and Legitimacy of NGO Operations in Fragile States: The Case of South Sudan

Emma Guastone, Kathleen Morris, Sophia Sheldon and Livia de Guillebon

Humanitarian NGOs are central to crisis response in fragile states where government capacity is limited or absent. Focusing on South Sudan, this paper examines how insecurity, legal regulation, and weak infrastructure shape the feasibility and legitimacy of humanitarian action. It argues that while NGOs are indispensable to civilian survival, their life-saving role also generates a key dilemma: by compensating for weak state capacity, NGOs may contribute to ongoing fragility. The paper highlights the complex position of NGOs as both essential humanitarian providers and contested actors in fragile contexts.