Relationship dossier
South Sudan
United States
Relationship assessment
U.S. support for South Sudan has coexisted with pressure over conflict and governance
South Sudan toward United States
Not assessedUnited States toward South Sudan
+15The United States recognized South Sudan when it became independent in 2011 and has provided substantial humanitarian and development assistance. It has also imposed sanctions and applied diplomatic pressure in response to conflict and governance concerns.
Overall relationship
Not assessedHow to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The United States recognized South Sudan at independence in 2011 and has provided substantial humanitarian and development assistance. It has also used sanctions and other pressure over conflict and governance concerns. Information about specific South Sudanese government actions toward the United States is insufficient to assess that relationship.
Areas of tension
- U.S. sanctions and diplomatic pressure concerning conflict and governance in South Sudan.
Key developments
The United States recognized South Sudan upon its independence.
The United States has provided substantial humanitarian and development assistance to South Sudan.
The United States imposed sanctions and applied diplomatic pressure in response to conflict and governance concerns.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and continuity of direct South Sudanese government cooperation with the United States are unclear.
- The extent to which U.S. assistance and diplomatic engagement have produced durable bilateral arrangements is unclear.