U.S. government suspended U.S. foreign assistance in Ayod County, Jonglei State.
The U.S. government is also reviewing its assistance in Western Bahr el-Ghazal State and considering significant reductions. Today’s actions demonstrate U.S. resolve to forcefully respond when South Sudanese officials take advantage of the United States instead of working in partnership with us to help the South Sudanese people.
These steps are consistent with the December 11 statement by the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs that called on the transitional government to stop imposing illicit costs on those trying to help the South Sudanese people.
They follow continued abuse, exploitation, and theft directed against U.S. foreign assistance by South Sudanese officials at national, state, and county levels. On January 2, the Ayod County Commissioner detained an aid worker who refused an illegal request to surrender assets from a U.S. foreign assistance partner. Since last November, the Western Bahr el-Ghazal State Minister of Health has prevented the transfer of pharmaceutical supplies from one U.S. foreign assistance partner to another. Transitional government officials have ignored repeated requests to release the supplies.
The United States has provided over $9.5 billion in foreign assistance to South Sudan since its independence in 2011. We call on the transitional government to take immediate remedial steps, starting by holding accountable all South Sudanese officials who have interfered with or imposed illicit costs on U.S. foreign assistance. The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for theft and diversion of life-saving assistance.
