By Lodu William Odiya
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has received a briefing from the Caretaker Minister of Finance and Planning, Athian Diing Athian, and the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, Dr. Addis Ababa Othow, on the outcomes of their participation in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.
The briefing covered South Sudan’s engagement under the IMF Staff-Monitored Program, the country’s macroeconomic challenges, ongoing World Bank development support, and opportunities to mobilise additional financing and attract investment.
Athian said the government and the IMF had agreed to complete the budget component of the staff-monitored program before proceeding to the next stage of engagement.
Discussions with the World Bank focused on the country’s economic challenges and ongoing support for agriculture and the development of agricultural value chains.
The Minister highlighted the importance of this assistance in strengthening production, adding value to local produce, and supporting economic recovery.
The engagements form part of South Sudan’s efforts to strengthen cooperation with international financial institutions, advance economic reforms, and mobilise resources for development.
In late October 2026, President Salva Kiir Mayardit received critical updates regarding South Sudan’s ongoing diplomatic and financial strategies abroad.
The Caretaker Minister of Finance and Planning, Athian Diing Athian, alongside Bank of South Sudan Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othow, detailed their strategic diplomatic missions following the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Annual Meetings held in Bangkok, Thailand.
A central focus of the briefing centered on South Sudan’s performance and alignment under the IMF’s Staff-Monitored Program.
Highlighting next steps, Athian noted that both the national government and the IMF reached a consensus to finalise the critical budget component of the Staff-Monitored Program as a prerequisite before moving forward to subsequent stages of structural financial cooperation.
This marks an essential milestone in institutionalising fiscal discipline and economic governance within the nation.
Parallel discussions with the World Bank heavily prioritised structural solutions to macroeconomic hurdles, specifically emphasising targeted support for the agricultural sector and the holistic development of robust agricultural value chains.
Minister Athian underscored that international partnership in this domain is vital for bolstering domestic food production, increasing value addition on local produce, and driving long-term economic recovery from the grassroots level up.
Ultimately, these high-level international engagements underscore South Sudan’s broader strategic vision: deepening cooperation with global financial institutions, executing necessary domestic economic reforms, and successfully mobilising vital external resources to fuel sustainable national development.