Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has renewed sanctions against Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, South Sudan’s Vice President and Chairperson for Economic Cluster, and his company, Winners Construction Company Limited.
The renewal, implemented on 17/04/2025, marks a continuation of punitive measures first imposed in December 2017 during the initial administration of President Donald Trump.
The sanctions target Mel and several of his business entities, including Thai South Sudan Crusher, Aggregates and Building Materials Company (ABMC), and Home and Away Limited, for alleged corruption and mismanagement of public resources.
The decision to renew sanctions comes at a time of heightened diplomatic friction between Washington and Juba, further complicating an already strained relationship.
Dr. Mel was appointed Vice President and Chairperson of the Economic Cluster by President Salva Kiir in February 2025, replacing Dr. James Wani Igga.
This move drew sharp criticism from the U.S. Embassy in Juba, which, in March 2025, issued a statement cautioning against the promotion of sanctioned individuals to senior government positions within the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU).
According to records reviewed by Sudans Post, the sanctions aim to deter corruption and promote accountability in South Sudan’s governance. Mel’s inclusion on the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list restricts his ability to engage in international financial transactions and freezes any assets he may hold under U.S. jurisdiction.
In March, relations between Juba and Washington have been tested by disagreements over visa policies and the deportation of South Sudanese nationals from the United States under the second Trump administration.
On April 19, 2025, South Sudan announced plans to dispatch a high-level delegation to Washington to negotiate solutions to these issues, including the repatriation of deported citizens following a diplomatic clash over the deportation of Makula Kintu, a Congolese national certified by the South Sudan Embassy in Washington.
However, the delegation faces a formidable challenge. Beyond addressing the visa dispute, they must contend with U.S. concerns over the elevation of sanctioned figures like Mel to influential government positions.
The U.S. has consistently emphasised the importance of good governance and transparency as prerequisites for normalised relations and continued support for South Sudan’s peace and development efforts. The promotion of Mel, a sanctioned individual, is perceived as a direct affront to these principles.
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