By Deng Machol
JUBA — The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Crawford Capital Ltd. and announced visa restrictions against members of South Sudan’s transitional government, accusing them of fueling conflict, corruption, and obstructing implementation of the country’s fragile 2018 peace agreement.
In a strongly worded statement, Marco Rubio said the measures target individuals and entities allegedly responsible for undermining implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the landmark peace accord intended to end years of devastating civil war.
Rubio said South Sudan’s transitional authorities had repeatedly delayed key provisions of the agreement, warning that continued political deadlock and insecurity risk pushing the country back into widespread violence.
“The transitional government has for years failed to fully implement critical elements of the peace agreement,” Rubio said, adding that ongoing instability threatens hopes for lasting peace and democratic transition in the world’s youngest nation.
The U.S. government also accused corrupt officials and affiliated entities of diverting public resources and misusing international assistance intended to support vulnerable South Sudanese communities struggling with humanitarian and economic hardship.
According to Washington, the visa restrictions were imposed under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act and are aimed at individuals accused of undermining the ceasefire, fueling instability, or engaging in corruption connected to the conflict.
The latest measures underscore growing international frustration with the slow pace of reforms under the peace agreement, including delays in security sector unification, constitution-making, and preparations for long-awaited elections.
The United States said it remains committed to supporting the people of South Sudan while continuing to pursue accountability measures against political, military, and business actors accused of threatening peace and stability.
The 2018 peace accord ended a brutal civil war that erupted in 2013 and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives while displacing millions across the region. Despite periods of relative calm, tensions among rival political factions and sporadic violence continue to threaten the fragile transition.
