Africano Mande, the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority speaking during his reception at the NRA headquarters in Juba - Charles Wote/Eye Radio - October 5, 2023

The Commissioner-General of South Sudan National Revenue Authority said Monday that the country risk being blacklisted for not complying with anti-money laundering measures in the region.

Africano Mande made the remarks during a parliamentary session to discuss the 2023 Revenue Authority Amendment Bill 2023.

He said an institution responsible for anti-money laundering in the region recently notified the body about many companies transferring money “left and right” from the country.

“Many companies are transferring money left and right, we were grilled recently by an institution which is responsible for anti-money laundering in the region and says we are not complying and there are so many recommendations that have been given,” Mande said.

According to him, although the regional institution which he declined to identify, gave them recommendations, not even one percent was implemented.

He warned that there is the likelihood the country is being pushed to a blacklist that is likely to affect some corresponding banks.

“We have not even done one percent of those recommendations and there’s likelihood that we can be pushed to a blacklist which is likely to affect even the correspondents’ banks.”

Mande, who was just appointed in early October to replace Athian Diing who also replaced Patrick Mugoya in June 2023, blames the situation on lack of government visibility in digital space.

He said there is a need for the country to put a system in place and install gadgets, especially for transparency in the tax collection.

“All of this is happening because we didn’t have visibility as the government and as the National Revenue Authority, so we say some of this abstract product that is been imported into the country we need to put a system in place we need to put process and installments and gadgets, so we are able to see the taxes.”

Meanwhile, Mr Mande also warned the government of leakage in its communications as internet services are controlled by private companies.

He said his leadership has requested the National Communications Authority to bring fiber optic for government usage.

“We have requested the National Communications Authority that any company that brings in fiber optic there’s supposed to be what we called a dedicated cabal which is dark cabal, which is dedicated to the government operation so that leakages don’t happen.”

“So that people don’t drop into our conversations in the region. So, we are working on that, and I believe the terminal has already reached Gumba, so very soon it will spread out so, including the National Assembly will have a such dedicated cabal.”