Corporate Benevolence or Strategic Obligation? Unpacking the Developmental Claims of Dar Petroleum Operating Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility in a Fragile State Context, South Sudan

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important framework for development in fragile, resource-rich states where governmental capacity is limited. In South Sudan, Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC) a joint venture of Chinese and Malaysian state-owned oil firms has implemented CSR projects in Melut County that it presents as contributions to local development. However, this study critically examines whether these initiatives genuinely reflect community needs or serve strategic corporate interests. Using a mixed-methods approach between January and March 2025, the research drew on 25 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, three focus group discussions, and a survey of 150 residents from four payams. It also analyzed secondary data from DPOC CSR reports (2015–2023), government records, and media sources. Data were analyzed using NVivo for thematic coding and SPSS for quantitative insights. Findings reveal a stark disconnect between community priorities such as youth employment, agricultural tools, and healthcare services and DPOC’s CSR focus on boreholes and school construction near oil facilities. This spatial clustering suggests that CSR is being used primarily as a tool for operational risk mitigation rather than equitable development. Community participation in CSR planning was found to be minimal, and most residents perceived the process as exclusionary and politically motivated. The study concludes that CSR in this context functions more as a strategic obligation than as genuine corporate benevolence. Without inclusive participation and independent oversight, CSR risks entrenching local inequalities. The paper calls for policy reforms to ensure CSR aligns with local needs, promotes transparency, and contributes meaningfully to sustainable development.