Uganda government requests submission of claims over South Sudan payment arrears

Uganda’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives requested companies and individuals who supplied goods and services to the South Sudan government to submit their non-payment claims.

The ministry in a notice published on Tuesday said the non-payment claims must be submitted to the ministry no later than Jan. 31.

“Please note that claims for the period after December 2016 will not be considered,” the notice said.

Ugandan traders supplied goods and services to the South Sudan government but were not paid due to the outbreak of conflict in December 2013. The traders then petitioned the Ugandan government for its intervention to save their businesses.

The debt owed to the traders totaled to 41 million U.S. dollars, according to Uganda’s parliamentary committee on national economy.

The two governments entered into a mutual agreement which could see Uganda clear the debt and treat it as a loan to the government of South Sudan. Enditem