A guard of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in Malakal, November 21, 2022. [Photo: Samir Bol/AFP via Getty Images]
In a statement issued this week, the embassy said SSPDF personnel raided a World Food Programme (WFP) boat on September 7 in Jonglei State's New Fangak, stealing food and supplies meant for civilians struggling with severe food insecurity.
JUBA – The United States Embassy in Juba has condemned a series of attacks on humanitarian workers and aid convoys in South Sudan, accusing unruly members of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) of involvement in the looting of relief supplies.
In a statement issued this week, the embassy said SSPDF personnel raided a World Food Programme (WFP) boat on September 7 in Jonglei State’s New Fangak, stealing food and supplies meant for civilians struggling with severe food insecurity.
Although the stolen items were replaced on September 20, the U.S. noted that the incident reflects a growing pattern of “looting and rent-seeking” targeting humanitarian operations across the country.
The embassy stressed that such behaviour is especially troubling when carried out by individuals entrusted with protecting their fellow citizens. “It is particularly heinous when those responsible for safeguarding their nation are instead undermining life-saving assistance,” the statement read.
Washington urged South Sudan’s transitional government to take immediate action to halt these abuses and ensure the safety of aid workers.
“We call upon South Sudan’s leaders, at all levels, to prevent such actions and to be a partner to those – including international donors – seeking to help the South Sudanese people,” the statement added.
The U.S. further expressed alarm over restrictions imposed on humanitarian organizations, especially in Upper Nile State, where officials have reportedly denied access to conflict-affected communities at risk of famine. Such obstructions, the embassy warned, could push already fragile populations into deeper crisis.
“We are increasingly concerned about the inability of implementing partners to deliver assistance due to access denials by transitional government officials in areas facing a possible risk of famine,” the embassy noted.
The statement called on authorities to remove the “unacceptably high costs and risks” that threaten humanitarian delivery, ensure unrestricted access, and begin directing public revenues toward urgent social needs. This includes supporting humanitarian response efforts, paying civil servant salaries, and funding security services.
The embassy’s remarks underscore growing international frustration with the transitional government’s failure to protect aid efforts in South Sudan, where millions remain dependent on external assistance for survival. Sudans Post
