A prominent American scholar says South Sudan’s oil revenues benefit mostly neighboring countries other than its people.
Professor Horace Campbell is a noted international peace and justice scholar, and Professor of African-American Studies, and Political Science at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.
In an interview to the California based KPFA radio, he said countries like Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Sudan have vested interests in South Sudan’s oil wealth.
Professor Campbell says the ordinary South Sudanese have limited access to basic services due to these interests.
“When the economy of South Sudan was part of Sudan, the oil revenues were about 50 to 100 billion dollars per year…. Ethiopia is heavily invested in hotels, Uganda in food, Kenya in banking and telecommunication,” said Professor Horace.
Professor Horace urged the leadership of South Sudan to organize its institutions to ensure effective service delivery to the people.
“The reporting we from South Sudan, is that the economy is now based on 5 billion dollars. That 5 billion dollars from the oil, and 90% of the economy is not being used in South Sudan for the health, welfare, water supply and education of the people, it is being looted in collaboration with the regional leaders of Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and members of the Sudanese elite,” he said.
The government has not commented, but previously, the Minister of Petroleum, Stephen Dhieu Dau, hinted at renegotiating a package South Sudan is giving to Sudan in financial compensation for independence in 2011.
Mr Dhieu said that with the fall of oil prices and decline in production rate, South Sudan was getting less from the sale of its oil