The authorities in South Sudan have been called out by a group of donor countries, including the United States, France, and the EU. These countries are alarmed by the increase in taxes and levies imposed by the South Sudanese government on humanitarian actors operating in the country. They argue that these levies significantly hinder the humanitarian assistance provided to the population.
In an open letter, 11 diplomatic missions urge the South Sudanese government to immediately halt the various taxes and levies imposed on donor countries, United Nations agencies, and NGOs, costs deemed “unacceptable and unlawful.”
The embassies of Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States have signed a letter. The letter highlights the customs duties imposed on humanitarian goods, mandatory testing of food rations, and mandatory escort fees as examples of the costs that signatory countries have been facing.
These costs run counter to international practices, state the various embassies, and also violate the country’s laws, which exempt humanitarian agencies and diplomatic missions from such expenses.
Germany, the second-largest contributor of bilateral aid, has expressed deep concern over these new taxes. The diplomatic missions emphasize that these taxes divert vital aid intended for the population. Meanwhile, civil society denounces corruption within the government.