Oil Funds Should Pay Salaries, Says US Embassy

(JUBA) – The United States has called on South Sudan’s leaders to ensure that oil revenues are used to pay civil servants and security forces and to support basic public services as the country enters 2026.

In a New Year statement issued on 31 December, the United States Embassy in Juba said it hopes the coming year will bring peace and security to South Sudan.

The embassy urged the government to direct public income towards essential needs, including the payment of salaries for civil servants, soldiers and police, as well as funding for health, education and other basic services.

The statement also encouraged peaceful dialogue and reconciliation, calling on national leaders to create conditions that would allow South Sudan to move from reliance on foreign aid to becoming an environment that supports investment and economic growth.

South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but has since faced repeated conflict, economic instability and humanitarian challenges. The management of oil revenues and public finances has remained a key concern for citizens and international partners.

Civil servants and members of the organised forces have experienced long delays in salary payments. Many professionals, including teachers and health workers, earn low wages. Several workers have gone for months without pay, placing pressure on households and public service delivery.

South Sudan holds one of the largest crude oil reserves in sub Saharan Africa, and oil remains the main source of government revenue. However, interruptions to production and long standing governance challenges have limited the benefits of this resource for the wider population.

The United States remains one of the largest providers of humanitarian and development assistance to South Sudan. American officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of stronger governance, transparency and financial reform to ensure that public resources are used effectively.

The embassy’s statement did not outline specific policy measures but presented its message as a set of hopes for the South Sudanese people in the new year.