Dr. Ann Itto, member of parliament at the East African Legislative Assembly with Bol Makeung, senior SPLM member addressing media in Juba - Credit | Emmanuel Akile/Eye Radio | July 19, 2022

A South Sudanese lawmaker at the East African Legislative Assembly has said they are ashamed as the government is unable to pay the membership fee to the EAC.

Dr. Ann Itto said the non-payment of the country’s membership fee has weakened their participation in the regional parliament.

She said the South Sudan government owes the regional bloc nearly 40 million US dollars in membership fees.

“ Our participation in the processes of the integration has been weak either because there is no money, or because people do not appreciate it enough.

“You find that members of the government are not attending important East Africa Community meetings where decisions are taken, and where negotiations are taking place we are not there.’

The country’s yearly membership fee stands at 8.4 million US dollars.

But since the country joined the East African Community in 2016, the government has only paid once, according to Dr. Ann Itto.

The amount South Sudan owes the block includes other financial obligations.

“We should take our membership seriously, pay our membership fees”, she stressed.

In June 2019, South Sudan was about to be kicked out of the legislature over the government’s failure to pay its annual contributions.

“So it is that kind of a shame we have. We owe about 39 million US dollars to the East African Community”, she added.

Article 146 of the EAC treaty stipulates that the Summit may suspend a Partner State from taking part in the activities of the community if that State fails to observe and fulfill the fundamental principles and objectives of the Treaty.

This includes failure to meet financial commitments to the community within a period of eighteen (18) months.

It also states that a suspended partner state shall cease to enjoy the benefits provided for under the treaty but shall continue to be bound by membership obligations until the suspension is lifted.