UN to audit S. Sudan’s oil sector to cross-check loopholes of corruption

To identify loopholes of corruption in the world’s youngest nation, the United Nations Security Council has asked Chinese oil companies to provide detailed information on the country’s oil revenues used by the government over the past two years.

“The Panel seeking clarification on the financial transactions that DPOC has made to the government and Nilepet. The Panel is seeking detailed responses because the Panel has received information that DPOC has not remitted the payment to the Bank of South Sudan for yearly surface rental fees,” said Mr. Emilio Manfredi, the Coordinator Panel of Experts on South Sudan.

In a letter addressed to South Sudan’s authorities, the UN Panel of experts are extremely “concerned that the public revenue Nilepet has earned from its eight percent stake in the consortium has not been transferred from DPOC accounts transparently.”

“In pursuit of its mandate, the Panel is requesting information pertaining to Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC), in which the Government of the Republic of South Sudan has a stake through Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet).”

The UN officials expressed concern about widespread corruption and mismanagement of the country’s public resources by high-ranking government officials who continue to enrich themselves at the expense of their citizens.

South Sudan and Somalia top the list of the world’s most corrupt countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index, according to a recent report released by Transparency International.

As a result of misappropriation of public resources, the international community and donor countries have been reluctant to release funding needed for the implementation of the peace agreement.