Court  Slashes Vivacell Claim; South Sudan to Pay $48.5M

By Simon Deng

The government of South Sudan is required to pay 48.5 million US dollars to Vivacell following an arbitration by the International Chamber of Commerce, which significantly reduced their claims from 2.9 billion dollars.

Michael Makuei Lueth, the Minister of Information Communication Technology and Postal Service, said  that the final award issued by the international tribunal included both interest and costs.

“I am pleased to report that the tribunal’s decision in the arbitration has substantially reduced the amount claimed against us. After thorough examination and presentations, the final award is $48,452,035,” said Makuei told the press yesterday.

“In this case, we have won the arbitration significantly, as bringing down a figure from $2.9 billion to $48 million is a major accomplishment. This is the first case we have faced in the international arena,” he added.

Makuei explained that the Network of the World (NOW) is a company established and licensed by the Civil Authority of South Sudan during the liberation struggle and later licensed under the provisions of the new Sudan Telecommunications Act.

He revealed that Vivacell, operating under the commercial name Network of the World (NOW), opened the case against the government of South Sudan in 2018 through the International Chamber of Commerce.

“Our position is very clear. The amount has now been reduced to $48 million, but this is not the final position, as we also have our own claims. We need them to pay for our spectrum and other fees and charges that will arise,” he said.

In 2018, Vivacell and its parent company filed a substantial claim of $2.9 billion against the Republic of South Sudan. The tribunal issued a partial award in 2022 and has now ruled with a significant reduction.

In 2018, South Sudan suspended mobile operator Vivacell’s service, demanding $66 million in license fees and locking out 900,000 subscribers.