South Sudan customs to integrate federal authority

February 16, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s peace partners agreed to integrate south Sudan customs body to the federal customs authority in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Special Committee to organize non-oil revenue in southern Sudan, which one of the subcommittee of the NCP-SPLM Political executive Committee agreed to integrate customs department in southern Sudan to the federal customs authority.

In the past, the National Congress Party accused the SPLM of violating the CPA by collecting the customs taxes and not allowing the federal body from exercising its authority in the southern Sudan.

According to the agreement, southern Sudan government has to arrest collecting tax revenues immediately and enable federal taxes to perform its role in the collection of taxes, federal stamps, business profits and Personal income. The party also agreed to finalize the inventory of vacant posts and filling it with people from the south, and to train the recruited cadres on the federal level.

Lual Lual Deng, Minister of State for finance said that the Committee agreed that the SPLM will be in charge with the protection of Customs personnel in the south.

At the time, the Committee also agreed that the Federal Minister of Finance will be responsible of customs exemptions.

The parties also agreed to realise study on customs tariff with the technical assistance of the World Bank.

He pointed out that customs revenue from the south will be deploying for development according to the presidential decree.

(ST)