South Sudanese authorities are causing delays in United Nations aid deliveries by holding up fuel tankers over a tax dispute, risking the flow of millions of dollars in aid amidst a humanitarian crisis, according to the U.N. mission in the region.
Despite assurances from the minister of humanitarian affairs that the new tax on trucks transporting fuel and supplies wouldn’t affect U.N. humanitarian operations, the trucks were still detained at depots and the Ugandan border on Wednesday, stated a spokesperson for the mission.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Albino Akok Atak and Information Minister Michael Makuei were unavailable for immediate comment.
The recent trade ministry order, introducing a $300 charge on each goods truck entering and exiting the country, aimed to bolster government revenue by addressing undervaluations and fraud.
South Sudan, scarred by a devastating civil war from 2013 to 2018, is grappling with one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises due to ongoing conflicts, natural calamities, and widespread poverty.
Last month, the United Nations estimated that during the April-to-July lean season, approximately 7.1 million out of 12.4 million people in South Sudan would face crisis-level hunger.
“At present, the trucks remain detained. The mission is actively engaging at the highest levels to resolve the situation,” stated Priyanka Chowdhury, acting spokesperson for the mission, known as UNMISS, to Reuters.
The suspension of humanitarian airdrops, affecting 60,000 individuals in need, and the necessity to reconsider peacekeeping patrols and diminish support to peace and electoral processes, were highlighted by UNMISS in a statement on Tuesday.
The imposition of the tax has sparked protests from traders and other organizations, with diplomatic missions labeling it as “illicit and unacceptable” for U.N. and other aid operations in a statement issued on Sunday.
UNMISS, responsible for safeguarding approximately 180,000 internally displaced people across South Sudan, operates with around 20,000 peacekeepers.
