EU, 9 donor nations condemn gov’t taxes on aid to South Sudan

JUBA – The European Union and nine donor countries on Sunday condemned burdensome taxes imposed by South Sudan’s government on humanitarian goods.

The move obstructs the delivery of life-saving aid amid a worsening crisis, they warned.

In a joint statement, embassies from Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States urged South Sudan’s transitional government to immediately reverse the taxes.

“Such attempts are contrary to international practice and to South Sudanese law, which clarifies that the United Nations, UN specialized agencies, diplomatic missions, or other international donors and their contractors, grantees, and implementing partners in South Sudan are exempt from excise duties, customs duties and fees, and other taxes, charges, and fees on goods and services directly related to diplomatic missions or donor-funded projects,” the statement reads in part.

“It is the obligation of the transitional government to reduce the costs and risks faced by those seeking to provide humanitarian assistance to its people,” it added.

The statement decried “illicit and unacceptable costs” on donors, UN agencies, and aid groups, listing examples such as petroleum permits, customs fees, electronic tracking notes, food testing, and security escort fees.

These costs violate both international practice and South Sudanese law, which exempts humanitarian actors from such taxes, the statement emphasized.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in South Sudan, has previously called on the government to remove taxation on UN imports to facilitate aid delivery.

South Sudan hosts approximately 629,546 refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan since April 15, 2023. The nation was already grappling with 2.2 million displaced people prior to the Sudanese crisis.