South Sudan’s Council of Ministers has approved a 731.2 billion South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) supplementary budget for the upcoming general elections.
South Sudan is expected hold its elections in December this year.
Addressing reporters after the cabinet meeting in Juba on Friday, Information Minister Michael Makuei said Finance Minister Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol presented a SSP732.2 billion draft supplementary budget for the 2023/2024 financial year.
He said the funds will support the conduct of the polls and any other related activities.
Makuei said Minister Bak split the budget into two, the urgent budget, which ends in June, adding that his proposed amount can be used by the electoral institutions up to the end of the current financial year.
“The second part of the process will be funded in the 2024/2025 budget, which will be out with effect from July 2024 and in his presentation to the cabinet, Finance Minister Bak promised to avail funds for these institutions to the sum of 107,488,412,944 SSP,” Makuei said.
“This is the amount, which he expressed that the government will be in a position to meet during this time and as such it was passed and he was directed to present it to the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA) for consideration.”
Pressed further on how the government would raise the elections budget deficit, Makuei said, “When we say elections is around the corner that does not mean that all the funds will be made available as of now because some part of it will be used in December this year. The budget, which was approved for this year is a supplementary one that will meet the requirements of all these institutions up to June and by July the actual final budget for all these institutions will come out.”
Separately, Minister Makuei said the cabinet listened to a report from the Minister of Roads on the implementation of the Paloch-Mathiang- Maiwut-Pagak Road, which connects South Sudan with Ethiopia.
Makuei said Roads Minister said the project faces some challenges on the Ethiopian side, adding that its implementation team had been directed to follow-up with Ethiopian authorities.
“He (Roads Minister) clarified to the cabinet that it is meeting some difficulties especially on the other side (Ethiopia) because this is a contract based on an agreement between us and the Ethiopian Government and as such up to now our partner has not done anything so far, so he is urging us to follow with the Ethiopian counterpart so that the construction of this road can start,” Makuei said.
Makuei said once completed, the road will resolve many problems including transportation of crude oil and the importation of goods from Djibouti Port, which is a shorter route to South Sudan than the Port of Mombasa.
Makuei, who is also the government spokesman, said that the cabinet also listened to a presentation by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Justice Ruben Madol Arol. He pointed out that the minister sought the cabinet’s approval for the extension of the timeframe of the Judiciary Review Committee.
Makuei confirmed that the cabinet approved a two-month extension for the committee to complete its tasks and report back to the government.