A controversial law that regulates NGO’s in South Sudan has been delayed, according to a statement from the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.

Scheduled to be implemented on May 10th, the act was “adjourned due to some technical reasons” according to the statement. “We request all the NGO’s to proceed with their work normally”

Signed in February, the law said 80 % of NGO workers must South Sudanese, and also required each organization to sign operating agreements with the government. Some NGO’s feared that the new legislation could hinder their work because the legislation was unclear.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization called the decision “remarkable”.

“Restricting the NGOs operations due to lack of compliance of non-registration under the new NGOs act 2016 will have great negative impact on our communities that benefit directly from the NGOs operations” Yakani said in a statement.

File photo: South Sudan's parliament