Juba:  A new United Nations report has accused South Sudan’s ruling elite of systematically diverting billions of dollars from public funds while the majority of the population faces acute hunger and deteriorating living conditions.

The report by the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan detailed how nearly 1.7 billion dollars was paid between 2021 and 2024 to companies linked to Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel for road construction projects that were either not delivered or significantly underperformed. The funds were largely disbursed under the “Oil for Roads” scheme, an off-budget programme that directed around 2.2 billion dollars to such companies. The commission found that less than 500 million dollars’ worth of usable roads were actually built, with contracts manipulated to cover fewer lanes, shorter lengths, or overstated measurements.

Despite generating more than 23 billion dollars in oil revenue since independence in 2011, the report said the government has consistently prioritized spending that benefits a narrow elite. In the 2022–2023 budget, the Presidential Medical Unit reportedly received more funding than the entire national health system covering community, public, secondary, and tertiary levels combined. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of South Sudan’s 12 million people are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse.

Justice Minister Joseph Geng, in a written response, dismissed the UN’s financial estimates as inconsistent with government records. While acknowledging corruption as a challenge, he cited conflict, climate change, and declining oil revenue as major drivers of the crisis. He also pointed to anti-corruption legislation enacted before and after independence, including new laws passed in July 2024, as evidence of government commitment to reform.

South Sudan has been plagued by instability since its independence in 2011, including a brutal civil war from 2013 to 2018 that killed around 400,000 people. Rivalries between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar continue to strain the fragile peace process. The UN commission warned that systemic corruption is compounding the humanitarian crisis, diverting resources away from essential services such as education, healthcare, and food distribution.

The report’s release comes as international aid to South Sudan declines, raising concerns about worsening hunger and further instability. Observers say the findings may increase international pressure on Juba to introduce greater financial accountability and redirect resources to meet urgent human needs.