UN Urges South Sudan To Lift Taxes Blocking Critical Food Airdrops

In a statement issued on Monday, the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Agency highlighted the dire consequences of halting airdrops in March, emphasizing the deprivation of food for 60,000 individuals residing in regions inaccessible by road. Alarmingly, this figure is projected to soar to 135,000 by the end of May.

The U.N. disclosed that the implementation of new charges would inflate operational expenses to $339,000 monthly, a sum deemed sufficient to feed over 16,300 people. These charges, introduced in February, are related to electronic cargo tracking, security escort fees, and additional taxes on fuel.