Minister Dr. Bak tables long-overdue SSP 7 trillion national budget

2026-02-03 - 10:59

The Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Bak Barnaba Baak, has tabled a long-overdue 7 trillion South Sudanese Pounds national budget for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 before the Transitional National Legislature. The draft budget was submitted alongside the Appropriation Bill, the Finance Bill, and proposed amendments to the Public Financial Management and Accountability Act, in line with constitutional requirements. Presenting the budget, Dr. Bak said the 2025/2026 fiscal framework is designed “to foster economic recovery through macroeconomic stability, improve livelihoods and support the democratic transition.” Acknowledging delays in submission, he told lawmakers: “This budget should have been presented in June 2025 as required by law, but due to circumstances beyond the control of the Ministry, it is being submitted beyond the expected timeline, which has negatively impacted government expenditure and service delivery.” Dr. Bak said the budget was prepared amid significant economic challenges, including fiscal stress, inflationary pressure, oil production disruptions, and external shocks. “The budget has been prepared in an environment characterised by fiscal stress, inflationary pressure and structural vulnerabilities,” he said. According to the Minister, total projected revenue for the fiscal year stands at SSP 7 trillion, while total expenditure is estimated at SSP 8.58 trillion, resulting in a fiscal deficit of SSP 1.58 trillion, which the government plans to finance through domestic resources, grants, and concessional financing. He said the government’s fiscal policy for 2025/2026 is deliberately anti-inflationary and focused on stabilisation rather than expansion. “The fiscal year 2025–2026 budget is a discipline-driven stabilisation framework focused on restoring macroeconomic balance, honouring public obligations, strengthening institutions, supporting elections, and laying the foundation for sustainable growth,” Dr. Bak said. Key allocations in the budget include wages and salaries, debt servicing, infrastructure development, capital projects, and priority sectors such as security, rule of law, education, agriculture, and election preparations. Dr. Bak concluded by urging lawmakers to support the budget: “I hereby submit the draft national budget, the Appropriation Bill, and the Finance Bill for consideration and approval by this August House.”