US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington ‘will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation’ - Photo: AAP

The United States Department of State issued visa restrictions against members of the South Sudan transitional government and cited Crawford Capital, Ltd., a firm that collects non-oil revenue for the government, for its role in the diversion of state funds.

In a statement shared with Eye Radio, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the implementation of these measures under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Department of State asserts in the statement that the transitional government “impeded implementation” of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). According to the department, these actions left the country “on the brink of a return to all-out war.”

The U.S. government maintains in the text that reports from investigative bodies indicate “corrupt officials and entities” diverted funds from the South Sudan treasury. The department further notes that these reports state individuals “siphoned money” and “stolen foreign assistance funds” intended for the population.

The statement reports that in northern Jonglei State, the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), under the command of President Salva Kiir, launched a military offensive that displaced 300,000 people.

The State Department warns in the document that these actions “created the conditions for a potential famine” and cites “credible reports of human rights violations and abuses and ethnically motivated killings of the Nuer people.”

The Department of State explains that these visa restrictions target individuals who “undermined peace in South Sudan,” blocked the ceasefire, or engaged in corruption that “fueled the conflict.”

The United States government concludes the statement by affirming it will continue to “use all tools available to expose and promote accountability” for members of the transitional government and the SSPDF who “steal from the South Sudanese people and threaten peace.”