From Construction Deals to Political Clout
Benjamin Bol Mel first appeared on Juba’s radar in the mid-2000s, presenting ABMC Thai-South Sudan Construction as a solution for long neglected roads. Contracts flowed quickly, and the businessman’s access to President Salva Kiir grew alongside the nation’s infrastructure ambitions.
At the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce he fashioned himself as a champion of local entrepreneurs, yet insiders recall that cabinet ministers routinely endorsed ABMC bids, sidestepping competitive tenders in a country still writing its procurement rules.
The Magnitsky Spotlight
Washington’s December 2017 designation under the Global Magnitsky Act thrust Bol Mel onto a global list linking business elites to human-rights abuses. The U.S. Treasury argued he exploited ties to Kiir to secure multimillion-dollar contracts that were paid yet left highways unfinished.
Juba’s spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny dismissed the allegation, saying, “He is not an adviser to the President, and should be treated as an individual.” The embassy insisted the evidence showed “systemic facilitation of corruption” (Radio Tamazuj).
Rebranding and Evasion Tactics
Sanctions did not halt activity. Investigators later traced Bol Mel to Africa Resources Corporation and Winners Construction, vehicles that picked up fresh oil-backed road contracts despite the financial blacklist.
On International Anti-Corruption Day 2021, OFAC expanded penalties to those firms, citing laundering of state revenue through foreign accounts. The decision illustrated how name changes and layered ownership attempted, but failed, to obscure beneficial control.
Security Service Entanglements
President Kiir later appointed the businessman a Major-General within the National Security Service’s Internal Security Bureau, placing him over a “Special Desk and Projects” unit.
Court filings allege two NSS officers extorted over five million dollars and armored SUVs from him in 2020, threatening to leak contracts linked to African Resource Corporation. Both officers were arrested, highlighting the perilous overlap of commerce, secrecy and security.
Oil for Roads Debate
Supporters tout the Oil-for-Roads scheme as ingenious, arguing it channels crude into critical tarmac and jobs. Critics counter that opaque terms mortgage future barrels, deepen debt and empower middlemen rather than rural commuters.
Economist James Alic Garang warns that non-competitive awards “can distort the budget and crowd out social services,” yet he concedes that cash-strapped ministries face few alternatives to collateralized infrastructure finance.
What Next for Bol Mel?
Reports suggest his influence has waned after recent reshuffles, but allies insist he retains valuable engineering expertise and links to foreign investors. No South Sudanese court has yet ruled on the allegations surrounding him.
Diplomats say the case will test Juba’s stated commitment to transparency outlined in the revitalized peace agreement. For many citizens it remains a barometer of whether post-war reconstruction can escape the gravitational pull of elite politics.
Regional Lessons
Across the continent, sanctions regimes increasingly target facilitators as well as fighters, signaling that illicit finance is now an essential front in conflict prevention. Observers note that South Sudan’s experience offers cautionary tales, but also opportunities for reform-minded officials to strengthen oversight.