The Embassies of Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States have collectively renewed their calls on South Sudan’s transitional government to immediately cease recent actions imposing illicit costs on donor governments and UN agencies.

“This illicit action is severely impacting the ability of UNMISS, UN humanitarian agencies, and humanitarian partners to conduct their mission in support of the South Sudanese people,” the foreign missions said in a joint Monday statement extended to Radio Tamazuj.

“Of particular concern is the government’s enforcement of the ePetroleum Accreditation Permit requirement on UN fuel trucks, hindering the delivery of essential fuel for UN operations supporting the South Sudanese people,” the statement added.

In recent developments, the UN’s top humanitarian official in South Sudan has urged the government to lift newly imposed taxes and charges that are causing aid deliveries to be suspended, affecting tens of thousands of people. Since February, authorities have imposed a series of new taxes and charges at border crossings and within the country.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, the Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, underscored the urgent situation, stating that UN agencies have been forced to halt lifesaving airdrops of food assistance due to dwindling fuel supplies.

Ms. Gbeho acknowledged assurances by many members of the Government of South Sudan that humanitarians are exempt. However, there have been no written commitments to date, her office added.

According to the United Nations, these measures have impacted over 60,000 people, particularly in remote areas where humanitarian operations are already limited. This number is expected to rise to 145,000 by the end of May if the measures remain in place.

“We call on the Government of South Sudan to uphold all agreements with humanitarians, including our NGO [non-governmental organizations] partners, and immediately remove new taxes and fees so that we can continue to support people in need,” she said on Sunday.

Her office further noted that the new taxes contravene the Status of Forces Agreement signed by individual agencies with the South Sudanese Government as well as Section 7 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, which exempts the UN from all direct taxes and duties on imports of supplies for its official use.