Overview of Corruption and Anti-Corruption in South Sudan

www.transparency.org www.cmi.no Overview of corruption and anti-corruption in South Sudan Query Please provide an overview of the nature of corruption in South Sudan. What legal and institutional framework is available to address corruption? Content Since independence, the country has taken steps to promote transparency and accountability to fight 1. Overview of corruption in South Sudan corruption, South Sudan’s anti-corruption framework is 2. Anti-corruption efforts still in its infancy. Where legal instruments exist, lack of 3. References capacity, resources and political will often hamper effective implementation. Caveat Since South Sudan has only gained independence in 1. Overview of corruption in 2011, there is little data and research on governance South Sudan and corruption. South Sudan is not included in most of corruption and governance indicators, yet. Background Summary The history of South Sudan is closely intertwined with the history of Sudan. Since Sudan’s independence from South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011, the British in 1956, it faced long civil wars, involving emerging from decades of civil war. The country faces ethnic, religious and economic conflicts between a myriad of governance and poverty challenges, as well Northern and Southern Sudan. The conflict ended with as continued hostilities with Sudan. At the domestic the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), level South Sudan is struggling with structural obstacles signed by the government of the Republic of the Sudan such as a lack of basic infrastructure, the weak and the then southern-based rebel group, the Sudan development of markets and the lasting level of People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The CPA insecurity. formalised a power-sharing system between the SPLM Corruption permeates all sectors of the economy and and the ruling political faction in Khartoum, the National all levels of the state apparatus and manifests itself Congress Party (NCP). Both parties held seats in a through various forms, including grand corruption and national unity government. The South, ruled by the SPLM-dominated government of South Sudan (GOSS) clientelistic networks along tribal lines. Author(s): Magali Mores Reviewed by: Marie Chene, Transparency International, [email protected]; Chantal Uwimana, [email protected], with contribution from Njoya Tikum, [email protected] Date: 4 March 2013 Number: 371 U4 is a web-based resource centre for development practitioners who wish to effectively address corruption challenges in their work. Expert Answers are produced by the U4 Helpdesk – operated by Transparency International – as quick responses to operational and policy questions from U4 Partner Agency staff. Overview of corruption and anti-corruption in South Sudan in Juba was granted a large degree of autonomy. The on control of corruption and government effectiveness CPA further provided for self-determination for the are particularly low, ranking 0.9 for both categories. people of Southern Sudan. The referendum was held in January 2011 when 98% of South Sudanese voted for According to the 2011 Global Corruption Barometer, independence. The Republic of South Sudan was 67% of all citizens surveyed believe that corruption in established on July 9, 2011. the country has increased during the three years preceding the survey. Since independence, tensions continue with the North, particularly in the contested region of Abyei, where a separate referendum was cancelled. Negotiations Nature of corruption challenges further stalled over issues including border demarcation Corruption is present in all sectors of the economy and and management of the oil sector. at all levels of the new state apparatus. Corruption is manifested in various forms, including financial and When the mandate of the UN Mission in Sudan political corruption, patronage, pervasive tribalism and (UNMIS) expired with the independence of South misuse of power. Both petty and grand forms of Sudan, the Security Council unanimously approved a corruption are prevalent in South Sudan. successor mission, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), to include 7,000 military personnel. It has Bureaucratic corruption the mandate to “consolidate peace and security,” to Citizens commonly face demands for bribes in their help establish conditions for development, and to dealings with government institutions to access basic strengthen the capacity of South Sudan to govern public services. The latest Transparency International effectively and democratically (HRW, 2012). Global Corruption Barometer found that those respondents who have had contact with nine public Insecurity within the South was a serious problem both institutions (police, education, judiciary, medical before and after independence. The SPLA faced a services, land services, tax revenue, customs, series of armed rebellions where almost 2,400 people registry/permit), 66% reported paying bribes in the past were killed in separate incidents during the first six 12 months. The citizens’ experience with corruption is months of 2011. Rebel leader George Athor was killed significantly high in dealing with the police (where 47% in December in an SPLA operation in the southwest of of those in contact with the police reported paying the country (Freedom House, 2012). bribes), registry/ permit services (46%), the judiciary (43%), and land services (41%). Coming to the reasons The country has been facing significant governance for paying bribes, the majority of Southern Sudanese challenges including building core administrative have reported “to avoid a problem with the authorities” structures and mechanisms. The new nation also (40%) or “to speed things up” (33%) (Transparency struggles to contain internal violence, prevent abuse by International, 2011). its security forces and tackle corruption. When it comes to doing business in the capital Juba, South Sudan, a country highly dependent on oil and the large numbers of documents, payment and foreign aid, is desperately poor and lacks accountable procedures required for business operations public institutions. A shutdown in oil production after encourages public officials to solicit bribes and continued dispute over oil with Sudan resulted in facilitation payments to bend the rules or speed up austerity measures, as South Sudan relies 98% on oil bureaucratic processes. South Sudan is not ranked yet revenues. by the Ease of Doing Business Index, however the subnational city profile of Juba gives a first indication Extent of corruption about doing business in the country. An entrepreneur in Juba must take 11 procedures, 15 days and spend South Sudan is not yet included in most governance 250,2% of income per capita to open a business (World indicators and there is still very little quantitative data Bank/IFC, 2011). In a comparative perspective, the available on the extent of corruption in the country. The averages are low in terms of time (OECD average is 14 country performs extremely poorly in its first ranking on days), but high in terms of costs, as Juba is the second the 2011 World Bank’s Worldwide Governance most expensive city to start up a business. Indicators, scoring well below 20 (on a scale of 0 to 100) in all areas of governance assessed. The scores www.U4.no 2 Overview of corruption and anti-corruption in South Sudan Patronage The implementation of the Southern Sudan The new state is dominated by the military elite which is Referendum in 2011 fulfilled a major requirement of the CPA of 2005 ending the second Sudanese civil war. strongly fragmented and marked by competing clientelist networks along tribal and ethnic lines. The Despite delay in passing the Southern Sudan diverging interests are kept in balance around the Referendum Act and the establishment of the Southern President Salva Kiir which makes the regime Sudan Referendum Commission, the Referendum took susceptible to the demands of the many competing place on time. According to international electoral groups and thus open to corruption and clientelism observers, the referendum was held in a mostly (Lacher, 2012). Since the CPA in 2005, the GOSS has peaceful environment and assessed it as credible and put efforts into integrating potential rebels and well organised. rewarding allies by appointing them to senior lucrative or symbolic posts. These appointments often consume Some observers, however, raised concerns of fraud large proportions of the state budget with ministries, and intimidation. The EU Mission particularly raised ‐ agencies and commissions growing in number. National concerns about “the non pluralistic political and State Parliaments serve above all as instruments of environment that resulted in the sometimes intimidation patronage (Lacher, 2012). Many complaints have been tactics used by the ruling SPLM in encouraging voiced about governors appointing members of their registered voters to cast their ballot” (EOM, 2011). own clan without visible functions. According to the same author political accommodation, as a strategy for Embezzlement stability, is favouring the patronage system. Grand corruption is a serious problem in South Sudan as officials take advantage of inadequate budget Another report finds that South Sudan’s state has monitoring to divert public funds. The Head of the UN become the private property of its dominant political Mission to South Sudan called on the international class, putting the business of governance and the community to help trace and repatriate funds that have wealth it

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