Written question asked by Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party) on Monday, 27 March 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 March 2017. It was answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative) on Thursday, 30 March 2017 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

South Sudan: Work Permits

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implications of the increase in the cost of work permits for foreign workers in South Sudan for the amount of aid delivered in that country.

Answer: The proposal by the Government of South Sudan to increase the cost of work permits is a further obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid by the government. If these fees are imposed it will have serious consequences for the agencies that are doing all they can to tackle the famine that has been declared. Together with our international partners we raised these issues with the South Sudanese First Vice President on 15 March, and made clear that the government of South Sudan has a responsibility to stop the suffering of its own people, and allow full humanitarian access across the country.

Secondary information