United Nations investigators have accused South Sudanese authorities of plundering one of the world’s youngest and most impoverished nations’ wealth of billions of dollars in public funds stolen as the majority of the country deals with a deepening food crisis.
In a report made public on Tuesday, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan says authorities allegedly used several schemes to divert significant amounts of money from public revenue since the country’s independence in 2011.
“While a small group of powerful actors pillage and loot the country’s wealth and resources, enriching themselves, the state has effectively abdicated its sovereign responsibilities to its population, outsourcing critical services — such as the provision of food, health care, and education to international donors,” the report says.
According to food security analysts, 76 of the country’s 79 counties are in the midst of a severe food crisis, with only minimal funds directed towards rectifying the situation.
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