May 6th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – A new study has revealed that the South Sudan government’s military expending is declining amid economic woes the government is facing as the civil war that has devastated a previously fuitful economy entered its fifth year.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) an independent research institute on global security reported that, down from its all-time high of $1.1 billion in 2014 – onset of the ongoing civil war- South Sudan spent around $72 million on its military spending during the beggining of the conflict between the government and forces loyal to the country’s former first vice president Riek Machar. However, the report pointed out that the government spent $59.50 million in 2017 preceded by a military expends of $137.30 in 2016.
The study said that the military expenditure in South Sudan averaged $450.14 million from 2006 until 2017 reaching an all time high of $697.70 million in 2011 and a record low of $59.50 million in 2017.
Kenya is the remain the top military spender in the region with $933.1 million in 2016 and $963.5 in 2017.
Early this year, the United States inposed an arm embargo on South Sudan and sanctioned oil entities it accused of funding government war agendas.
South Sudan descended into civil war in December 2013 after forces loyal to the country’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardiit and his then Governor of Northern Bahr Al-Ghazal State Gen. Paul Malong Awan went door-to-door in the capital Juba killing civilians belonging to the Nuer ethnic group sparking a nation-wide protests from top army generals from the Nuer leading to a civil war.
