NGOs asked to bank their money in South Sudan

President Salva Kiir has asked non-governmental organizations to be banking their money in the country.

Most international non-governmental organizations keep their money in foreign banks, according to officials.

In an address to the parliament on Wednesday, the President said the NGOs are contributing to the economic crisis by keeping their bank accounts outside the country.

“This is not allowed in any [other] country. The NGOS that are working here in South Sudan must bank their money here in South Sudan,” Mr Kiir said.

The NGO bill was passed by Parliament in May, but the president declined to assent to it and sent it back to parliament with comment.

The bill provides for the establishment of a framework to regulate registration, coordination and monitoring of activities of Non-Governmental Organizations in the country.

It also stipulates that at least 80% of the employees should be nationals, at all levels.

However, civil rights groups earlier warned that the bill threatens freedom of association by requiring them to register.

They say it subjects civil society organizations to a regulatory body mainly composed of government representatives and members appointed by the government.

This body has broad authority ‘to facilitate and coordinate the work of all national and foreign’ NGOs and ‘to provide policy guidelines for harmonizing their activities with the National Development Plan for South Sudan,’ and the power ‘to receive and consider application for work permits in respect of prospective employees of a registered NGO.’

Earlier, the UN said the NGO Bill also ‘includes burdensome registration and re-registration requirements and criminal penalties for non-compliance with the proposed law’.

There are about 300 NGOs operating across the country, officials say.

(Edited by Ayuen Panchol)