U.N. report says billions stolen from South Sudan as food crisis deepens

A U.N. commission reported Tuesday that billions of dollars in public funds have been siphoned from South Sudan over the past decade, deepening a nationwide food crisis and leaving the state unable to meet basic services for most of its population.

The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said its investigation identified several schemes by political officials that diverted large portions of public revenue since the country gained independence in 2011. The commission concluded that a small group of powerful actors had “pillaged and loot[ed] the country’s wealth and resources,” adding, “Corruption is killing South Sudanese.”

The report singled out the government’s flagship oil-for-roads program as a major channel for alleged diversion of funds. Of the $2.2 billion originally dedicated to the initiative, the commission said $1.7 billion is unaccounted for and that 95% of the roads the program was supposed to deliver remain incomplete. The report also identified transactions tied to politically connected firms, including Crawford Capital Ltd., that allegedly captured tens of millions of dollars through irregular electronic government services such as visa processing and petroleum licensing.

The commission documented budgetary choices that it said exacerbated humanitarian need. It reported that between 2020 and 2024 less than 1% of the federal budget was allocated to ministries charged with supporting food security. During the 2022-23 fiscal year, public funds spent on the president’s personal medical unit reportedly exceeded the government’s nationwide health-care expenditure.

U.N. food-security analysts say 76 of South Sudan’s 79 counties are experiencing severe food insecurity. Development and quality-of-life indicators place the country among the world’s poorest: roughly one in 10 children die in childbirth and secondary school enrollment is about 5%.

The government rejected many of the commission’s findings as “absurd,” accusing the panel of methodological errors and saying it had not been given sufficient time to respond. The report links some of the alleged schemes to Benjamin Bol Mel, a businessman close to President Salva Kiir who was appointed to a vice-presidential role this year and is under U.S. sanctions, along with several of his companies. The government denied the allegations that oil-for-roads funds were diverted to associates of Bol Mel, calling the claims attempts to “smear the good image of the people of South Sudan and its leadership.”

Analysts and aid officials said the alleged diversion of revenue is occurring as oil production and revenues have declined and as the government points to international sanctions for constraining spending on public services. The nation postponed national elections for a second time last year, citing a lack of funds.

The U.N. report follows earlier investigations into misappropriation of state resources. A 2021 U.N. study found tens of millions of dollars in unaccounted government revenue and described it as a fraction of a broader pattern of theft. The latest report arrives amid rising political tensions and fears of renewed large-scale conflict.

Opposition leader Riek Machar was suspended from his post as first vice president this week after being indicted on charges including murder, terrorism and crimes against humanity linked to a militia action near the Ethiopian border. Machar has been under house arrest since March. The commission warned that the combination of political rivalry, alleged financial malfeasance and weak public institutions risks backsliding into broader violence.

The commission said the state has in effect abdicated many sovereign responsibilities, “outsourcing critical services — such as the provision of food, healthcare, and education — to international donors.” Donor agencies and humanitarian organizations face rising demand as food insecurity spreads, and the U.N. assessment underscores the strain on aid systems and the urgency of accountability for the alleged diversion of public resources.

The government’s denial and the commission’s findings set the stage for potential international scrutiny and calls for further investigation. The report did not outline a formal mechanism for recovery of funds but said transparency, accountability and judicial remedies would be necessary to restore public trust and to redirect resources toward service delivery and humanitarian response.