U.S. calls South Sudan peace process ‘farcical’ over Machar’s detention

JUBA – A senior United States official has cast doubt on the credibility of South Sudan’s peace process, describing it as “farcical” to claim meaningful dialogue is taking place while First Vice President Riek Machar remains under arrest and facing trial.

In a statement issued Monday, the U.S. Embassy in South Sudan said Africa Bureau Senior Bureau Official Nick Checker visited Juba from May 7 to 8, where he held meetings with senior South Sudanese government officials.

According to the embassy, Checker discussed key U.S. priorities in South Sudan, including efforts to promote peace and stability, reduce long-term aid dependency, curb what he described as “predatory practices” against humanitarian organizations, and strengthen cooperation on immigration and border security matters.

During the meetings, Checker urged South Sudanese leaders to recommit to peaceful dialogue involving all signatories to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement. However, he questioned the sincerity and effectiveness of ongoing political engagements under the current circumstances.

“It is farcical to claim that inter-party dialogue is taking place while First Vice President Machar, the head of the second largest party to the 2018 peace agreement, is under arrest and on trial,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Checker acknowledged that the 2018 revitalised peace agreement “was flawed,” but stressed that it still “provides the basis of legitimacy for the transitional government.”

The U.S. official also raised concerns over South Sudan’s management of public resources since independence in 2011. According to the embassy, the United States has contributed more than $9.5 billion in assistance to South Sudan over the years, while the country’s leaders have reportedly received more than $25 billion in oil revenues during the same period.

Checker accused South Sudanese leaders of repeatedly exploiting crises and making insincere reform promises to secure continued international donor support while obstructing humanitarian operations.

“For far too long, South Sudan’s leaders have used crises of their own making and insincere promises of reform and election preparations as tools to elicit international donor support while simultaneously obstructing the delivery of lifesaving assistance,” he said.

He further called on the government to use public revenues responsibly by paying civil servants and investing in essential public services.

“The time has long passed for South Sudan’s leaders to start using public revenue appropriately to pay public sector salaries, invest in health, education, and other essential services, and contribute to humanitarian response efforts,” Checker added.

He also drew parallels between the current governance challenges and the grievances that fuelled South Sudan’s liberation struggle before independence.

“For years prior to independence, the SPLM claimed to want to end marginalization of the South by Khartoum, yet we have seen South Sudan’s own leaders perpetuate that marginalization by failure to use public revenue for the good of the South Sudanese people,” he said.