Washington: The US threatened to slash aid to South Sudan late on Wednesday, accusing its government of imposing 'illicit costs' on humanitarian operations and hindering UN peacekeeping efforts.
According to Anadolu Agency, the US State Department's Bureau of African Affairs issued a statement condemning South Sudan's actions as gross violations of international obligations. The statement urged the transitional government to halt such activities immediately or face a comprehensive review of US assistance, potentially leading to significant cuts.
Since South Sudan's independence in 2011, Washington has provided over $9.5 billion in aid, while the transitional government has amassed approximately $25 billion in oil revenue. Despite this financial influx, South Sudan's leaders are accused of denying responsibility for the nation's humanitarian crisis and demanding increased donor funding - a narrative the US deems false.
The US attributes the crisis to poor governance, revenue mismanagement, and insecurity allegedly created by South Sudanese leaders, alongside 'predatory' practices targeting humanitarian aid. The statement emphasized the need for the government to work with aid organizations and ensure public funds are allocated to essential services like salaries, health, and education, rather than obstructing aid efforts.
The US highlighted its longstanding partnership with the South Sudanese people, predating the country's independence, but warned that abuses by the transitional government would not go unchallenged.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a referendum but has been embroiled in conflict since December 2013, when President Salva Kiir Mayardit accused then-Vice President Riek Machar of orchestrating a coup. Despite peace agreements in 2018 and 2022, instability continues.
In February, the White Army militia, primarily from Machar's Nuer ethnic group, seized a town in Upper Nile State, prompting the detention of several generals and government ministers linked to Machar's Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition. Machar and other detained figures face charges of murder, treason, crimes against humanity, conspiracy, financing terrorist activities, and inciting violence in Nasir County.