By J. J. Messner & Kendall Lawrence
24 June 2013
South Sudan
South Sudan’s first complete year on the FSI shows it sinking into the same cycles of instability that many of its neighbors face. Despite the large volume of aid that has flowed into the country since independence, it has been unable to effectively utilize those resources towards actual capacity building.
Corruption is endemic in South Sudan, with an estimated $4 billion of public funds having gone stolen or unaccounted for by mid-2012 alone.
Migration between South Sudan and Sudan continues to be high; upward of 170,000 refugees crossed the border from Sudan into the new state during 2012. This added to South Sudan’s food shortages following the drought that the country faced during 2012 as well as contributed to overall population pressure in a place ill-equipped to provide even the most basic services.
Armed conflict with Sudan over oil rights and disputed pipeline fees prompted the government in Juba to halt oil production in January, a risky move as 98% of their income was projected to come from oil production.
International aid groups are beginning to accuse the government and other factions of perpetrating gross human rights violations including rape, torture, and execution.
Media freedom was also sharply curtailed. A notable journalist was killed after speaking out against government-sponsored corruption and violence.
Independence has failed to provide the South Sudanese population with a reprieve from conflict with continued tensions over land and resources.
To access the full Failed States Index 2013: The Troubled Ten, please follow the hyperlink.