South Sudan draws up 'War Budget', but oil production targets unlikely to be reached - By Richard Nield

From African Arguments Fri Jul 18 2014, 15:15:44

By the evidence of South Sudan's budget, presented to parliament in late June, the country's finance ministry has lost its mind. This time last year, the Government of South Sudan put forward what it described as a "two-step budget" that would boost social services and economic growth "in a responsible manner." That budget, covering July 2013 to June 2014, consisted of six months of austerity while oil production recovered from a 15-month shut-down. Spending limits were set at SSP555m ($184m) a month for the first half of the year, rising to SSP1bn by early 2014 "if sufficient resources are available." It seems that this common-sense approach hasn't lasted long. Most press coverage of the new budget, covering July 2014 to June 2015, has focused on a reduction in the size of the budget from to SSP11.3bn from SSP17.3bn last year. But a closer look at the figures reveals that this is anything but an austerity budget. The government is actually planning a 2.5% increase in spending on government agencies - from SSP9,733m to SSP9,968m. While the increase in spending is marginal, the government is banking on an extraordinary increase in revenues that completely ignores the realities of its economic challenges. [...]

[view whole blog post ]
 See More    |     Report Abuse


You might also be interested in the following news stories:

Africa:  Qatar Supports ICRC Operations in South Sudan (press release)
International Committee of the Red Cross
28 March 2024

With funding from Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has signed a grant agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to support the latter's ... [read more]

South Sudan:  Urgent Vaccination Campaign Needed to Halt Deadly Measles Outbreak (press release)
Medecins Sans Frontieres
26 March 2024

A measles crisis is mounting in South Sudan's Western Equatoria state, just as health authorities struggle to overcome a yellow fever outbreak. Since February, seven deaths among children under five ... [read more]

South Sudan:  South Sudan Opposition Parties Criticize New Election Laws (news)
Voice of America
26 March 2024

A new electoral regulation in South Sudan has received harsh criticism from opposition parties that see the move as a way to lock them out of the forthcoming general election that will be a first for ... [read more]



blogAfrica is allAfrica.com's platform to help you keep an ear on the African blogosphere. We draw diverse voices from around the world who post regularly and insightfully about African issues. Bloggers, submit your blog's rss-feed!