South Sudan could face sanctions over delays in remitting its share of contributions to the East African Community (EAC).

All member states are required to pay $8 million to the EAC as contributions annually.

Kim Gai Ruot, a South Sudanese lawmaker at the East African parliament, confirmed his country’s delay in paying outstanding arrears.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the lawmaker warned that the regional body could slap sanctions on South Sudan for its default on payment.

According to Ruot, South Sudan is required to pay $27 million in membership arrears since 2016, along with the budget fees for the fiscal year 2020/2021, implying that it owes the EAC up to $35 million.

He dismissed reports that South Sudan was sanctioned due to non-payment of its arrears, but clarified that an EAC lawmaker had raised a motion calling for the imposition of sanctions on member states that failed to honour their obligations to the regional bloc.

The South Sudanese MP said any move to impose sanctions on any member state should be approved by East African heads of state, adding that the motion presented on the imposition of sanctions on any member state that did not pay its arrears was passed.

He revealed that lawmakers at the regional assembly haven’t received their salaries for three months, due to the non-payment of membership fees by South Sudan and Burundi.

Meanwhile, the South Sudanese lawmaker appealed to the unity government to appoint a minister for East African Community Affairs to address the issue.

Article 143 of the treaty is, however, not specific on sanctions to be undertaken as it stipulates that “a partner state which defaults in meeting its financial and other obligations under this treaty shall be subject to such action as the summit may on the recommendation of the Council, determine.”

Article 146 of the treaty says the summit may suspend a partner state from taking part in the activities of the bloc if that state fails to observe and fulfill the fundamental principles and objectives of the treaty including failure to meet financial commitments within a period of 18 months.

South Sudan became the 6th member after joining the regional body in 2016.