The UN’s Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, announced that its trucks were being held up at the Uganda/South Sudan border, several days after South Sudan had implemented a truck tax.
What’s Happening
UNMISS stated that several of their fuel trucks were being held up at entry points on the Ugandan portion of the South Sudanese border after they were unable to pay a newly instated tax on goods trucks entering or leaving the nation.
UNMISS expressed concern at the hold up, stating that their fuel reserves were running dangerously low, and that continued delay would “prevent the delivery of millions of dollars of aid during a severe humanitarian crisis and divert already stretched funding provided by donors and other Member States to assist the people of South Sudan.”
“Humanitarian airdrops have already been suspended, affecting 60,000 people in need. UNMISS itself is also forced to review peacekeeping patrols, road repairs, construction of police stations, schools, and health centers, as well as reduce support to peace and electoral processes” -An excerpt from the UNMISS statement
The tax, instated by the South Sudanese Trade Ministry, taxes trucks carrying fuel and other goods 300$ when they either leave or enter the country, in an attempt for the government to maximize revenue collection at a time when the nation is economically struggling.
South Sudan’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs had assured the UN that their trucks would be exempt, however they were still blocked at the border.
In March, the UN projected that approximately 7.1 million of Sudan’s 12.4 million people would experience crisis levels of hunger from April to July.
South Sudan experiences one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, which is further worsened by refugees residing in South Sudan that had fled the Sudan war to the north.
As of Thursday, April 25th, the trucks were still being held at the border. UNMISS has not announced since if the trucks have since been able to leave, and thus is it assumed they are still there.