South Sudan has been suspended from the African Union over failure to pay its annual contributions amounting to over $9 million {Sh900 million).
South Sudan’s mission to Ethiopia wrote to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday informing its government that it had been sanctioned for failing to pay its financial obligations for three consecutive years.
During this period, the country has been embroiled in a protracted conflict until this year February, when the opposition and government formed a grand coalition government.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday confirmed the suspension.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Hakim Edward said the sanctions do not deprive South Sudan of its AU membership but it only suspends the country from participating in AU meetings.
“We would like to confirm to the public that South Sudan is one of the countries that have been sanctioned by the AU due to lack of yearly financial contributions,” Edward said in a statement on Friday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to assure the public that it is coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to resolve the matter not only with the AU but with other regional bodies,” he added.
South Sudan became the 54th member of the African Union on July 27, 2011.
On June 6, 2019 the AU Peace and Security Council suspended the participation of the Sudan in all African Union activities until the effective establishment of a civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the only way to allow Sudan to exit from its crisis then.
The suspension of Sudan followed what PSC termed as the lack of progress towards the establishment of a civilian-led Transitional Authority since its initial meeting following the coup d’etat of April 11, 2019.
The suspension was lifted in September after the installation of a civilian-led leadership, ending a three-month freeze.
