South Sudan removes newly imposed taxes that had triggered suspension of UN food airdrops

By DENG MACHOL
Associated Press

JUNA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan has removed recently imposed taxes and fees that had triggered the suspension of U.N. food airdrops. The United Nations had earlier this week urged South Sudanese authorities to remove the new taxes, introduced in February. Thousands of people in the country depend on aid from the outside. However, the government on Friday said it was keeping charges on services rendered by firms contracted by the U.N peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. The United Nations had warned that suspending food aid deliveries would affect 135,000 people by May. The new taxes had applied to charges for electronic cargo tracking, security escort fees and fuel.