By STAFF|CRN
Nairobi – A damning new report by the United Nations accuses senior South Sudanese officials — including Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel and members of President Salva Kiir’s inner circle — of looting over $25 billion in oil revenues, deepening the country’s catastrophic human rights crisis.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan released the findings today in Nairobi, exposing how entrenched corruption has gutted state institutions and diverted critical resources away from public services, enriching a powerful elite at the expense of ordinary citizens.
The two-year investigation reveals a government apparatus that prioritizes political survival and personal enrichment over the well-being of the people. The report, titled “Plundering a Nation: How Rampant Corruption Unleashed a Human Rights Crisis in South Sudan,” outlines how the country’s oil wealth has been systematically siphoned off through opaque contracts, off-budget transactions, and patronage networks.
“Corruption is not incidental — it is the engine of South Sudan’s decline,” said Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka. “It is driving hunger, collapsing health systems, and causing preventable deaths. This is a crisis created by the political class and paid for by the people.”
One of the report’s most revealing cases involves the so-called “Oil for Roads” programme, a multi-billion-dollar deal marketed as a solution for infrastructure development. In reality, the Commission found that few roads were constructed. Instead, contracts were awarded to companies closely tied to Vice President Bol Mel, turning the project into a financial black hole used to enrich political allies.
Another scheme involved a private company managing non-oil revenues, which allegedly siphoned funds from state budgets while illegally taxing humanitarian organizations — disrupting food aid delivery in a country already suffering from widespread hunger.
The report also highlights systemic neglect of essential services. Ministries responsible for health, education, agriculture, and welfare were severely underfunded, while offices connected to the presidency absorbed a disproportionate share of public funds.
“These are not bookkeeping errors — this is calculated theft,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández. “When money for hospitals, schools, and clean water ends up in private hands, the consequences are fatal. We are talking about lives lost, children starving, and a generation denied education.”
The Commission points to a growing trend of nepotism and state capture, noting the recent appointments of President Kiir’s daughter and Vice President Bol Mel’s wife to top government positions — stoking fears that public institutions are being hijacked by a tightly knit political elite.
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s fragile peace continues to unravel. The 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, which once offered hope for lasting stability, has largely stalled. The arrest and ongoing detention of First Vice President Riek Machar since March has fractured the opposition, with key members of his SPLM-IO party imprisoned or forced into exile.
“Unless this cycle of looting and repression is broken, there is no chance of a stable transition,” warned Commissioner Barney Afako. “This is not just poor governance — it’s a direct attack on the rights and dignity of millions of South Sudanese.”
The report asserts that the government’s actions not only violate national laws but also breach South Sudan’s international obligations under human rights treaties such as the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The Commission urges the international community to abandon soft diplomatic approaches and take a firmer stance, warning that continued silence only enables the looting to persist.
The report concludes with 54 recommendations, including prosecuting individuals involved in economic crimes
Reforming public financial management systems, prioritizing investment in essential services and supporting civil society-led accountability mechanisms.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, established in 2016 by the UN Human Rights Council, is an independent body composed of three expert commissioners and supported by a Secretariat based in Juba.
“What we are seeing is a nation being plundered from the inside out,” said Sooka. “Without justice and reform, South Sudan’s future will remain hostage to the ambitions of the few — while the many continue to suffer.”
As of now, the Government of South Sudan has yet to respond to the allegations raised in the report.