JUBA – The Government of South Sudan has defended its engagement with Crawford Capital following sanctions announced by the United States Department of State targeting the company over allegations of corruption and revenue diversion.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ateny Wek Ateny, the Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services, said the government’s partnership with Crawford Capital is part of an official digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising public administration and improving service delivery across the country.
“The Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services affirms its official engagement with Crawford Capital Ltd. in supporting the development and research of electronic government services (e-services) in South Sudan,” the statement said.
According to the ministry, the collaboration is intended to strengthen digital workflows, improve administrative coordination, and support the rollout of citizen-centred electronic services tailored to South Sudan’s governance needs.
Ateny said the arrangement follows “established institutional procedures” and aligns with resolutions approved by the Council of Ministers as part of broader governance reform priorities.
The ministry further praised Crawford Capital for what it described as its “professional engagement and technical contribution” toward advancing South Sudan’s digital transformation objectives.
The statement came a day after the United States announced sanctions and visa restrictions targeting South Sudanese officials and entities, including Crawford Capital, a company reportedly linked to Adut Salva Kiir, the daughter of President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
The sanctions announcement accused the company of benefiting from questionable revenue collection arrangements and alleged corruption involving non-oil revenues.
Background information cited by the government statement referenced findings from a September 2025 report by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan titled Plundering a Nation: how rampant corruption unleashed a human rights crisis in South Sudan.
The report alleged that Crawford Capital captured a disproportionate share of non-oil revenues through irregular government-linked e-services arrangements. It further claimed that under a 2019 agreement, the company retained 75 percent of profits from taxes it collected on behalf of the government.
According to the report, the agreement was extended in 2024 to include a levy imposed on tax-exempt humanitarian agencies, a move that reportedly disrupted critical humanitarian operations and contributed to the suspension of food aid activities.
The report also accused the South Sudan Revenue Authority of complicity in the alleged schemes, saying the arrangements violated provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
Despite the allegations and sanctions, the South Sudanese government maintains that its cooperation with Crawford Capital is legally grounded and focused on delivering long-term institutional reforms through digital innovation.
