South Sudan sought sanctions relief after accepting US deportees, documents show

South Sudan sought sanctions relief for a senior official and U.S. support for prosecuting an opposition leader after agreeing to accept American deportees, according to diplomatic communications released by the State Department in January. The eight deportees arrived in Juba, South Sudan’s capital, in July after spending weeks at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, where a court temporarily blocked their deportation.

The communications reveal that countries accepting deportees from the United States may seek substantial concessions in return—a practice that appears to extend beyond South Sudan, with Rwanda and Eswatini also receiving payments for similar agreements.

What South Sudan Asked For in Return

Diplomatic communications released by the State Department reveal what South Sudan hoped to gain from accepting the deportees. In a May communication, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised eight “matters of concern which the Government of South Sudan believes merit consideration,” ranging from visa restrictions to infrastructure projects.

But two requests stood out. South Sudan asked that the United States lift sanctions imposed on Benjamin Bol Mel, a former vice president, and that Washington support the prosecution of Riek Machar, the now-suspended first vice president facing treason and murder charges.

The Men Behind the Requests

Bol Mel is accused of diverting more than $1 billion earmarked for infrastructure projects into companies he owns or controls, according to a United Nations report. He wielded vast influence in South Sudan’s government and was viewed by some as a likely successor to President Salva Kiir until he was dismissed and placed under house arrest in November.

He is also widely viewed as a key figure behind Machar’s prosecution—a move that has drawn international criticism. Supporters of Machar and some activists describe the charges as politically motivated, citing a 2018 peace agreement that brought Machar back into the government as the most senior of five vice presidents.

Machar’s charges stem from a violent incident in March when an armed militia with historical ties to him attacked a garrison of government troops. But the prosecution has coincided with a spike in violence. The United Nations documented more than 1,800 deaths between January and September, and has warned that the country faces the brink of civil war. Machar remains under house arrest in Juba while his trial proceeds slowly.

Comparative Deals

The communications between South Sudan and the United States reveal a broader pattern. According to documents reviewed by Human Rights Watch, the U.S. paid Rwanda approximately $7.5 million to accept up to 250 deportees. Eswatini will receive $5.1 million to accept up to 160 deportees, the human rights group reported. Rwanda, Eswatini, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea have all received deportees from the United States.

Details of what South Sudan may have actually received remain unclear. When asked if the U.S. provided concessions in return for accepting the deportees, a State Department official said the U.S. does not disclose details of private diplomatic discussions. Thomas Kenneth Elisapana, a spokesman for South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declined to comment.

The Deportees and Growing Strain

Eight deportees—nationals of Mexico, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan—arrived in Juba in July after spending weeks at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, where a court temporarily blocked their deportation.

Six of the eight men remain at a residential facility in Juba under security supervision. Dian Peter Domach, a South Sudanese national, was freed, while Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez, a Mexican, was repatriated in September. South Sudanese officials have not publicly disclosed what long-term arrangements are in place for those who remain in custody.

The deportations drew criticism from human rights groups and others who expressed concern that South Sudan would become a “dumping ground” for foreign deportees. That anxiety has been compounded by broader tensions between Washington and Juba.

In December, the United States threatened to reduce aid contributions to South Sudan, accusing the government of imposing fees on aid groups and obstructing their operations. The U.S. is one of South Sudan’s largest donors, providing roughly $9.5 billion in aid since 2011. South Sudan’s government has struggled for years to deliver basic services, and the country remains heavily dependent on foreign aid after years of conflict.