South Sudan has lifted recently imposed taxes and fees that led to the suspension of UN food airlifts.
by
Deng Machor Associated Press
May 4, 2024, 3:35 a.m. ET
• 2 minute read
JUNA, South Sudan — Following an appeal from the United Nations, South Sudan has lifted recently imposed taxes and fees that led to the suspension of UN food airlifts. Thousands of people in the country are dependent on outside aid.
Earlier this week, the United Nations called on South Sudanese authorities to scrap a new tax introduced in February. The measure applied to electronic cargo tracking fees, security escort fees, and fuel fees.
In an announcement Friday, the government said it would continue to prosecute services provided by companies contracted to the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
“These companies are making profits and are subject to applicable taxes,” Finance Minister Awaw Daniel Chuan said.
There was no immediate comment from the United Nations on when air drops would resume.
Earlier, the United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Agency said the suspension of airlifts in March deprived 60,000 people living in areas without road access from desperately needed food, and by the end of May that number had grown to 135,000. It was announced that the number of cases is expected to increase.
The United Nations said the new measures would increase the mission's monthly operating costs to $339,000. United Nations food airlifts feed more than 16,300 people each month.
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the taxes and fees would also affect the U.N. peacekeeping force of about 20,000 people in South Sudan. The same goes for schools, medical centers and educational support.”
According to the United Nations, an estimated 9 million people out of South Sudan's 12.5 million people are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance. The country is also seeing increasing numbers of people fleeing war between rival military and militia groups in neighboring Sudan. Humanitarian assistance to people affected by internal conflicts is becoming more complex.