S. Sudan orders termination of all contracts for foreign workers
September 16, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s labour and public service ministry has ordered all foreigners working in the country to cease effective mid-next month.
“All nongovernmental organizations, private companies in general, banks, insurance companies, telecommunication companies, petroleum companies, hotels and lodges in South Sudan are directed to notify all the aliens working with them in all the positions to cease working as from 15 October, 2014 forthwith,” notes the 12 September circular signed by Ngor Kolong Ngor.
“The purpose of this circular is to induce and protect the rights and interests of the people of South Sudan,” it adds.
The ministry’s undersecretary, Hellen Aciro backed the newly issued directive, saying the minister was only implementing the existing employment guidelines.
She said non-government organisations and other foreign private sectors operating in the country have for long ignored these regulations.
“And so government felt, it would make sense if we have the national because the nationals would be able to urge the management to make sure they are compliance to the government policy in the country,” Aciro said on Tuesday.
“This circular does not imply that the republic of South Sudan does not want foreigners to work in their country. The issue is we want to balance this equation,” she added.
AID FLOW FRUSTRATED
Oxfam, in a statement, admitted that it employs South Sudanese, like other aid agencies, but still has “many foreigners in key roles”, and restricting that would frustrate efforts to assist those urgently in need.
“If this order were to come into effect it would massively disrupt aid programmes across the country which feed over one million people,” Oxfam director Tariq Riebl said Tuesday.
The unemployment rate, which measures the number of people actively looking for a job was reportedly 12% in 2008, according to statistics from South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS).
(ST)