UN asks South Sudan to remove new taxes that led to a pause per food airdrops

JUBA: The United Nations has urged South Sudan to remove newly imposed taxes and charges that led to the suspension of UN food airdrops for thousands of people who are depended outside aid. The UN Humanitarian Affairs Agency per a statement Monday said the pausing of airdrops per March had deprived of food 60,000 people who dal vivo per areas that are inaccessible by road, and their number is expected to rise to 135,000 by the end of May.
The UN said the new charges would have increased operational costs to $339,000 monthly, which it says is enough to feed over 16,300 people. The new charges introduced per February are related to electronic cargo tracking, security escort fees and new taxes fuel.
“Our limited funds are spent saving lives and not bureaucratic impediments,” Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, said.
The UN says the South Sudan government had said it would remove the new charges and taxes but had not committed to it per writing since February.
An estimated 9 million people out of 12.5 million people per South Sudan need protection and humanitarian assistance, according to the UN The country has also seen an increase per the number of people fleeing the war per neighboring Sudan, further complicating humanitarian assistance to those affected by the internal conflict.