This archive report was first published on 16 December 2019.
December 16, 2019, marked a somber day for South Sudan as President Salva Kiir and Opposition leader Riek Machar failed to form a revitalized unity government, a move that has left the country's peace efforts in tatters.
The two leaders had agreed to extend the implementation of the September 2018 deal by 100 days, but their inability to reach a consensus on contentious issues such as state boundaries and security arrangements has raised concerns about the future of the peace process.
According to Oxfam International, half of South Sudan's population now faces 'extreme hunger' due to the ongoing conflict, which has claimed 400,000 lives and rendered three million South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries since it erupted in 2013.
The conflict has been characterized by a lack of political trust among the country's leadership, with President Kiir's administration accused of systematic corruption and looting of resources.
A September investigative report by The Sentry, 'The Taking of South Sudan', revealed how foreign firms have actively abetted the conflict to profit from illicit financial practices, while a Kenyan investigative journalist's documentary, 'The Profiteers', exposed how both government and rebel forces profited from the war.
President Kiir and Dr. Machar must be held responsible for economic crimes committed against the citizens, and their continued presence at the negotiation table is diminishing hopes for lasting peace.
