South Sudan suspended from African Union for financial reasons

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Juba was sanctioned by the AU last week after accumulating more than $ 9 million in arrears. The country remains a member of the continental organization, but can no longer participate in the meetings until it has repaid its debt.

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With our regional correspondent in Nairobi , Sébastien Németh

The situation is embarrassing to say the least for Juba and his representatives based in the African Union. In a cable sent on June 17, South Sudanese diplomats say they went to a meeting, when suddenly the chairman of the meeting stopped the discussions to inform the delegation that their presence was "  illegal  ". "  It was such a serious and shameful scene  ," we read in the text.

It must be said that the arrears of payments amount to more than nine million dollars. A sum accumulated for three years. The South Sudanese foreign ministry has acknowledged the suspension. Hakim Edward, one of the spokespersons, said that "  efforts are underway to regularize the situation and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to resolve this problem with the African Union and other organizations.  "

Up to 30 million debt

Because indeed, this accumulated liability is not an isolated case. Last October, the East African Community had almost suspended Juba because of a debt approaching 30 million dollars. Two months later, the South Sudanese government had to urgently reimburse three million.

Juba then explained that several of his partners had not paid the promised aid. Some experts also cite corruption, mismanagement, financing of the war and declining oil revenues to explain why South Sudan is such a bad payer.

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• South Sudan
• African Union

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