South Sudan`s Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater on Thursday signed the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Regulations into law.
He said the government will consider it part of Public Finance Management reforms.
“It is one of the key 11 areas that the government has been working on and today is a great day that we have seen through one of the key areas of reforms. The signing of the regulation today concludes the legal framework for operationalization of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Asset in South Sudan,” he stated. “We expect the team at the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDAA), the finance ministry, and the entire government to create public awareness about the processes so that we have to be guided by these regulations.”
“The people of South Sudan expect the country’s resources to be spent transparently, no wastage is allowed and I want to assure you that we have come a long way and the government is committed to helping you discharge this important mandate,” Minister Dongrin added.
For his part, Ayii Bol Akol, Chairperson Board of Directors of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority, recalled that the preparations of the regulations date back to 2021, with a validation workshop in 2022, followed by the formation of the Authority’s board in 2023.
“Signing this regulation signifies the start of the procurement reform agenda under Public Finance Management reforms and we hope PPDAA activities will be prioritized even amid limited resources,” he said. “We know the importance of public procurement and disposal of assets and we are after the value for money, so, this is the starting point for the value of money.”
Meanwhile, Juvenal Nzambimana, Acting Country Manager of the World Bank South Sudan Office, said signing the regulation into law is a significant milestone.
“It has been challenging to operationalize the Public Procurement Act which was enacted in 2018. The implementation of this regulation is crucial for the improvement of public finance management, governance management, transparency, and accountability” he said. “By putting in place a functional public procurement system, South Sudan can now look forward to enhancing efficiency and integrity in its procurement process.”
“The dissemination of the PPDA Act and the regulation of the standard procurement document needs to be widely disseminated so that the users can be aware of this regulation,” Nzambimana stressed.