UN ACCUSES SOUTH SUDAN LEADERS OF LOOTING BILLIONS AS HUNGER DEEPENS
Report says political elites diverted oil revenues while millions face severe food shortages.
South Sudan’s leaders have stolen billions of dollars in public funds over the past decade while the vast majority of citizens suffer from hunger, a United Nations report said Tuesday.
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan accused the country’s political elite of “systematic looting,” pointing to oil revenues and infrastructure projects where money was diverted to benefit senior officials and their allies.
One scheme, the commission noted, saw $1.7 billion in “oil-for-roads” funds awarded to companies linked to Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel, with little work completed.
The report said that in some years, more money was spent on medical care for the president’s office than on the entire national healthcare system.
Ministries responsible for food security received less than 1% of the national budget between 2020 and 2024.
The consequences have been devastating: 76 of 79 counties are facing severe food insecurity, with more than 10 million people in urgent need of assistance.
South Sudan’s government dismissed the findings, calling them flawed and biased. Officials blamed climate shocks, conflict, and falling oil prices for the country’s worsening crisis.
By: Itoro Etukudo
Source: Reuters
