U.S asks humanitarian partners to pause use of UN flights until tax row is resolved

By Awan Achiek

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has called on humanitarian partners particularly; the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to suspended flights, until the government halts taxes imposed on humanitarian goods entering the country.

“The US Embassy and USAID ask that all implementing partner site visits and use of UNHAS air transportation be paused, until the issue of illicit taxes/fees the transitional government is attempting to impose is resolved,” said Kate Crawford, the Mission Director, USAID South Sudan in a statement issued last week.

The European Union and nine donor countries last week condemned the burdensome taxes imposed by the government on humanitarian goods.

They warned the move obstructs the delivery of life-saving aid amid a worsening crisis.

Embassies from Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States in a joint statement urged the transitional government to immediately reverse the taxes.

The government imposed taxes on 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,” it said.

South Sudan hosts approximately 629,546 refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan since April 15, 2023.

The country was already grappling with 2.2 million displaced people prior to the Sudanese crisis.