ISTANBUL

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.

“These actions constitute egregious violations of South Sudan’s international obligations,” a statement from the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs said, urging the transitional government to “halt these actions immediately.”

It warned that if the actions continued, the US would launch a comprehensive review of its assistance to Juba that could lead to “significant” cuts.

Washington has provided more than $9.5 billion in aid to South Sudan since its 2011 independence, while the country’s transitional government has received an estimated $25 billion in oil revenue over the same period, according to the statement.

“South Sudan’s leaders deny any responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in their country while calling for ever-increasing donor funding. This is a false narrative,” it said.

The US cited poor governance, mismanagement of public revenue, insecurity “created by South Sudanese leaders,” and “predatory” practices targeting humanitarian aid as key drivers of the country’s humanitarian crisis.

It said the transitional government should cooperate with those assisting its people, ensuring public revenue is used appropriately for salaries, health and education services, and support for those in need rather than obstructing aid efforts.

“U.S. partnership with the South Sudanese people predates the country’s independence by decades. We value that history, but we cannot leave the transitional government’s abuses unanswered,” the statement said.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum.

However, it has remained mired in conflict since December 2013, when President Salva Kiir Mayardit dismissed and accused then-Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup.

Despite peace deals signed in 2018 and 2022, instability persists.

In February, a militia group known as the White Army, largely made up of members of Machar’s Nuer ethnic group, seized a town in the Upper Nile State. In response, several generals and government ministers affiliated with Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition were detained.

Opposition leader Machar and several other detained figures face serious charges, including murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, and are also accused of conspiracy, financing terrorist activities, destroying public and military property, and inciting violence in Nasir County.