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South Sudan's latest tax on fuel trucks is impeding vital United Nations aid, risking millions in humanitarian assistance amidst a severe crisis, according to the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Despite previous exemptions promised by South Sudanese officials, UN fuel tankers remain detained at border depots, including the Ugandan border, complicating efforts to mitigate the country's dire hunger problem.

South Sudan, still reeling from the effects of a civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives between 2013 and 2018, faces one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. Ongoing conflicts, natural disasters, and poverty have left approximately 7.1 million of its 12.4 million residents facing crisis-level hunger during the April-to-July lean season, UN reports indicate.

The recent governmental decree mandates a $300 fee on each truck transporting goods across the border, aimed at enhancing revenue through curbing undervaluations and fraud. However, this move has sparked widespread protests from traders and criticism from international diplomatic missions, branding the tax on humanitarian aid as "illicit and unacceptable."

Amidst stalled negotiations, UNMISS is intensifying discussions at high levels to resolve the tax dispute as humanitarian airdrops have been halted, affecting 60,000 people. Additionally, the mission has had to cut back on peacekeeping patrols and support for peace and electoral processes.

With around 20,000 peacekeepers stationed in the country, UNMISS plays a crucial role in protecting approximately 180,000 internally displaced persons across South Sudan.

The ongoing tax issue underscores the challenges faced by international aid operations in South Sudan and the urgent need for a resolution to ensure continued support for the millions in need.