International aid groups have criticised South Sudan’s decision to sharply increase foreign
worker visa fees, warning it would aggravate a humanitarian crisis in the famine-hit country.
According to Al Jazeera, South Sudan’s government recently announced it would charge $10,000 for
foreigners working in a “professional” capacity, $2,000 for “blue collar” employees and $1,000
for “casual workers” from March 1.
“The government and the army have largely contributed to the humanitarian situation. And now,
they want to create profit from the crisis they have created,” Elizabeth Deng, South Sudan
researcher with Amnesty International, said on Saturday.
She 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 two counties in
late February.
The United Nations said on Saturday more than 7.5 million people were in need of assistance in
the country.
The crisis has “man-made” origins, according to the UN and humanitarian organisations groups, as
a civil war that started in 2013 has forced people to flee, disrupted agriculture, sent prices
soaring and cut off aid agencies from the worst-hit areas.
Humanitarian groups also say their workers have been subject to harassment and attacks.
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