Failed State: South Sudan Kicked Out of AU Summit over Outstanding Membership Fees
The true size of Africa
Reuters]
JUBA — South Sudan government has reportedly been denied attendance at the ongoing African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa over failure to pay its membership fees.
A foreign ministry source told Sudans Post this evening that President Salva Kiir Mayardit has delegated foreign minister to attend the AU summit of heads of state and government on his behalf, but was told in Juba by the AU mission that the world’s youngest country will not attend the summit because it hasn’t cleared its membership fees.
“The President had delegated the foreign minister Hon. Mayik Ayii Deng to attend the summit on behalf of South Sudan, but we had been informed by the AU mission that we are not welcomed until we pay our membership fees. We are not welcomed there,” he said.
The official who requested not to be named said the newly-appointed foreign minister Mayik Ayii Deng had appealed to President Kiir to make the funds for regional and international organisations available to protect the image of the country, something which has not been fulfilled.
“Since taking oath of his office, the minister has asked the government to avail money to pay regional and international organisations for our membership fees and this is in the interest of our sovereignty,” the official said.
South Sudan’s envoy to the AU was expelled from a meeting of the body in Addis Ababa over failure by the government in Juba to pay the country’s membership fees at the continental body.
The East African Community also threatened to revoke South Sudan’s membership at some point after the country failed to clear its membership areas which amounts to millions of dollars.
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