A group of Western embassies in South Sudan has called upon the Government of South Sudan to increase its contribution to the humanitarian effort in the country.

In a statement titled “A Call for Partnership in Addressing Humanitarian Need in South Sudan,” read by U.S Ambassador Michael J. Adler on behalf of The Embassies of Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Delegation of the European Union, the envoys reaffirmed their support for the South Sudanese people.

“We expect the transitional government to be a full partner in the effort to ease suffering and save lives in South Sudan by increasing its financial contribution to the humanitarian effort,” Amb. Adler said. “We also call on the transitional government to take concrete steps to reduce the costs of delivering aid, such as those generated by checkpoints and other illicit efforts to extract revenue from humanitarian aid operations.”

“Ultimately, ending the humanitarian crisis requires an environment conducive to substantial economic growth and reduced dependency,” he added.

According to the statement, such an environment will only be possible if the transitional government meets its peace commitments, introduces transparency and accountability, and prioritizes the use of public revenue to meet public needs.

“In the face of worsening humanitarian crisis, the international community has provided more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance in South Sudan this year alone,” the statement said. “We are all appalled by the conflict in Sudan which has created dire additional humanitarian need and has placed an extra burden on the South Sudanese people.”