(MENAFN) On Monday, a spokesperson for the United Nations (UN) expressed the organization's opposition to taxes imposed by South Sudan on aid deliveries and peacekeeping operations. Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stated that these taxes contradict the agreements previously established with South Sudanese authorities. Despite the UN's objections, Dujarric noted that the taxes remain in effect.
UN Humanitarian Coordinator Anita Kiki Gbeho cautioned that the newly imposed taxes and charges, introduced since February, would significantly increase the cost of food assistance and operations for the UN Humanitarian Air Service by USD339,000 monthly. Dujarric emphasized that these additional funds could have sustained over 16,300 individuals with food assistance for one month.
Dujarric highlighted the immediate consequences of the taxation, stating that over 60,000 people have already been affected as the UN was compelled to suspend life-saving airdrops of food assistance due to dwindling fuel reserves. He cited Gbeho, who projected that this number could rise to 145,000 by the end of May if the measures persist.
Furthermore, the spokesperson underscored the impact of these taxes on the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS. Dujarric mentioned that the peacekeepers are evaluating the taxation's effects on various activities, such as patrols and the establishment of police stations, schools, healthcare centers, and educational support.
In response to a sudden escalation in intercommunal violence, Dujarric revealed that UNMISS has taken proactive measures by deploying additional troops and initiating urgent integrated patrols in two hot spots. These efforts aim to address the emerging security challenges exacerbated by the prevailing circumstances in South Sudan.
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