The South Sudanese Eye Radio reported that South Sudan is likely to be the most dangerous country in the world for people infected by COVID-19. Additional reports, including the International Growth Centre’s recent brief, suggest that the economic impact of the COVID-19 induced lockdowns in Sub-Saharan Africa will perhaps be the most significant threat to the continent. Worsening matters, South Sudan’s oil reserves will likely run dry within the next 10-years and the COVID-19 virus has already contributed to an historically sharp decline in global oil prices. As one of the world’s most oil dependent countries, the pandemic appears likely to diminish the state’s already ostensibly dwindling coffers.
In addition to these perspectives, which are predominately produced by external observers, the CRP’s South Sudanese researchers in Juba, Ler, Malakal, Nimule and Yambio offer observations about COVID-19’s unfolding impact in their localities. They highlight the prevalence and dangers of at least two sets of rumours, which appear to be prevalent among the majority of the population which has very limited access to media, healthcare, food and clean water and might be the most vulnerable to the pandemic. Critically, these rumours also speak to how the pandemic might play into and potentially retool violent and kleptocratic governance practices, which Alex de Waal calls the ‘political marketplace’.