S.Sudan: Huge hike in permit fees risks aid disaster

By Parach Mach

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) – The United Nations warned that a huge hike in aid workers’ fees imposed by the South Sudanese government will put the lives of millions of people at risk of critical humanitarian disaster in the face of the three-year civil war and famine.

South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, early in March raised work permit fees for foreign workers a hundredfold, from $100 all the way to $10,000. Permits for other professions, including for blue-collar jobs, were similarly hiked, from $200 to $2,000, and for casual workers from $100 to $1,000.

The government said the hikes were done to expand the revenue base, particularly for non-oil revenues, and to close a deficit of $200 million in 2016-17 fiscal year budget.

“The changes in fees are in line with the Taxation Amendment Act of 2016-2017 and in accordance with the 2016-2017 budget. This was done to close the deficit gap in the budget after donors failed to fulfill their pledges,” Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s information minister and government spokesperson, told Anadolu Agency in a telephone interview.

But Guiomar Pau Sole, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said in an emailed statement that the large increase in aid workers’ fees effectively diverts donors’ money meant for humanitarian assistance.

“We are deeply concerned regarding the new circular which, if applied to humanitarian organizations, could mean that generously donated taxpayer money is diverted from the delivery of aid to people in dire need at a particularly critical time,” Pau Sole said.

She decried the expensive work permit fees, saying that they are in talks to have humanitarian organizations exempted.

“We are engaging with all relevant authorities to request an exemption from the order for aid agencies.”

- Discouraging donors

Civil society activist Edmond Yakani, who heads the Community Empowerment Organization (CEPO), said the new fees would affect humanitarian work and would hurt a country in need of massive humanitarian assistance.

“This order will further jeopardize the already worsening humanitarian crisis if the decision is not reversed,” Yakani explained, adding, “Of course donors will be feel discouraged from funding the country.”

In February, the world’s first declaration of famine since 2011 was made in South Sudan. The United Nations and government said 100,000 people in the country are at risk of starvation in the Mayendit and Leer counties of the northern Unity state due to fighting, with a further 1 million on the brink and more than half of the 12 million populations in dire need of food assistance.

In an urgent warning, this week the UN declared that some 5.1 million people lack safe water, sanitation and hygiene in South Sudan, saying that half of the water points in the country have been damaged or destroyed.

South Sudan fell into chaos in 2013 when a power struggle in the country’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) between President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy Riek Machar turned violent after Kiir accused Machar of attempting a coup, resulting in bitter fighting along ethnic lines.

Last April Machar was sworn in as first vice-president after the formation of a unity government, but he fled in July after renewed fighting between Kiir loyalists and his own faction.

The three-year conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced nearly 3 million people to flee their homes.

The UN, which says $1.6 billion is needed to give life-saving aid, estimates that 5.5 million people will face severe food shortages by July’s lean season.