By Louis Loku
South Sudan’s Ministerial High-Level Committee on Economic Reform has directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to begin paying salaries owed to civil servants, organised forces, and staff serving in the country’s diplomatic missions abroad.
The decision was taken during an extraordinary meeting of the committee in Juba, chaired by Acting Chairperson Ateny Wek Ateny.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Minister of Public Service and Human Resource Development Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, who also serves as the committee’s acting rapporteur, said the Ministry of Finance had been instructed to commence the payments.
The directive followed a presentation on the government’s latest revenue performance by South Sudan Revenue Authority Commissioner General Moun Deng Ajuet.
The report, covering revenue collections from August 1 to 15, 2026, indicated that the government had collected sufficient funds to meet some of its immediate financial obligations, according to the committee.
The decision could provide relief to public sector workers, members of the organised forces, and employees serving in South Sudan’s diplomatic missions, who rely on government salaries for their livelihoods.
The committee’s directive comes as the government continues efforts to increase domestic revenue collection and improve public financial management amid persistent economic pressures.
The latest move also signals the government’s intention to prioritise essential expenditures using locally generated revenues, particularly the payment of public sector salaries.
The committee is expected to continue monitoring revenue performance and government expenditures as authorities seek to strengthen the management of public finances.