U.S. sanctions firm linked to Kiir family, restricts visas for South Sudan officials

JUBA — The United States on Tuesday sanctioned Crawford Capital Ltd. and announced visa restrictions against members of South Sudan’s transitional government, escalating pressure on officials and businesses Washington accuses of corruption, fueling conflict and obstructing implementation of the country’s 2018 peace agreement.

In a statement, U.S. State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott said the measures were aimed at individuals and entities Washington considers responsible for undermining the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), as political and military tensions threaten to unravel the fragile power-sharing arrangement.

The State Department warned that South Sudan was nearing a return to large-scale conflict, blaming repeated delays in implementing the peace agreement, violations of the ceasefire and what it described as obstruction by members of the transitional government.

The decision represents a significant escalation in U.S. pressure on Juba at a time when relations between the transitional authorities and international partners have deteriorated over renewed fighting, political detentions and continued delays to key provisions of the peace process.

Among the entities targeted was Crawford Capital Ltd., which Washington accused of involvement in schemes that diverted public resources and foreign assistance intended to benefit South Sudanese citizens.

Crawford Capital has previously appeared in investigative reporting examining politically connected businesses and the management of public resources in South Sudan. Some reports have linked the company to Adut Salva Kiir, a daughter of President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

The U.S. statement cited investigations by independent organizations that it said documented the diversion of state resources by officials and associated commercial entities while much of South Sudan’s population continued to face severe economic and humanitarian hardship.

The measures suggest Washington is increasingly treating alleged corruption not simply as a governance issue but as a factor contributing directly to political instability and armed conflict. By targeting a private company alongside government officials, the United States appears to be widening its focus beyond political actors to financial and commercial networks it believes sustain the country’s political elite.

Washington also sharply criticized recent military operations by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in northern Jonglei State, saying the fighting had displaced an estimated 300,000 people and increased the threat of famine in already vulnerable communities.

The State Department also cited reports of human rights violations, abuses and ethnically targeted killings, including attacks against members of the Nuer community, as evidence of the deteriorating security environment.

The renewed violence has added to fears that the political settlement created by the 2018 peace agreement is weakening as mistrust deepens between President Kiir’s ruling establishment and forces aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar.

“Today, pursuant to authority under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Secretary Rubio is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on members of South Sudan’s transitional government,” the State Department statement said.

Washington said the affected officials had contributed to instability by obstructing implementation of the ceasefire and engaging in corruption that helped sustain the conflict.

The United States did not publicly identify the officials subjected to the new visa restrictions, making it unclear how broadly the measures extend across the transitional government.

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Michael Makuei Lueth and Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro have recently drawn scrutiny over efforts to alter provisions of the revitalized peace agreement. However, the U.S. statement did not identify either minister as being among those subjected to the visa restrictions.

The distinction is significant because the latest U.S. action appears designed not only to punish individuals already accused of wrongdoing, but also to signal that attempts to fundamentally change the political framework established by the peace deal could carry international consequences.

The measures come amid mounting concern over the future of South Sudan’s unity government following renewed clashes, delays in implementing security and constitutional reforms, and the continued detention of political figures, including First Vice President Riek Machar.

Machar’s detention and the escalating confrontation between rival political and military forces have raised questions about whether the transitional government can continue operating under the framework established by the 2018 agreement.

The latest U.S. action therefore goes beyond conventional sanctions policy. It reflects growing concern in Washington that corruption, military escalation and political efforts to weaken the peace agreement are increasingly interconnected — and that without renewed implementation of the deal, South Sudan could again slide into a wider conflict.

The government in Juba and Crawford Capital did not immediately respond to the U.S. allegations.