International
aid agencies have slammed South Sudan’s decision to raise foreign worker visa
fees to as much as $10,000.
The agencies
have warned that the situation would worsen a humanitarian crisis in the
famine-hit country.
“The
government and the army have largely contributed to the humanitarian
situation,” said Elizabeth Deng of Amnesty International.
“And now, they
want to create profit from the crisis they have created.”
The government
measure, announced on March 2, would increase work permit fees for foreign
workers from the $100-$300 range to between $1,000 and $10,000 per year,
depending on the qualifications of the worker.
The measure
could generate a revenue stream for the crisis-wracked nation, where oil
revenues account for the near-totality of government earnings, but aid agencies
said it could backfire.
“If this
measure is put into practice, it will be impossible for humanitarian workers to
pay this kind of sum,” said Julien Schopp, director of humanitarian practice at
InterAction, which groups 180 NGOs working worldwide.
Ms Deng said
there were hundreds of aid workers operating in the country, and that the new
visa costs “could further hinder their critical work on the ground”.
South Sudan,
formed in 2011 following a split from the north, declared famine in some
regions in late February. The United Nations said Saturday more than 7.5
million people were in need of assistance there.
The UN and
humanitarian organisations have described the crisis as having “man-made”
origins, as a civil war begun in 2013 has forced people to flee, disrupted
agriculture, sent prices soaring and cut off aid agencies from the worst-hit
areas.
Aid agencies
also say their workers have been subject to harassment and attacks, while the UN
described the looting of “humanitarian assets”.
Information
Minister Michael Makuei said on Thursday the new fees for foreign workers were
already in effect and confirmed they applied to aid workers.
Source: Africa
Review
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