Government approves $250,000 for sports conference

JUBA – South Sudan government on Friday approved a budget of $250,000 for a conference aimed at raising funds for national sports teams.

Addressing journalists following a cabinet meeting on Friday, information minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the decision was made during today’s cabinet meeting and that the funds are intended to support the national basketball, football, volleyball, and athletics teams.

“The Cabinet listened to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Joseph Geng Akech, on Consolidated National Teams Budget. This is a budget which he proposed for 2024 and this budget is to the sum of $9,080,000,” Makuei said.

“This is for the financial year 2024-2025. This budget is meant to fund the Basketball National Teams for men and women, the Football National Teams for men and women, the Volleyball National Teams for men and women, and Athletics National Teams for men and women,” he added.

The conference, scheduled for November 26-28, 2024, will bring together stakeholders to discuss and secure funding for the proposed budget.

“For him to raise these funds, he is proposing a Sports Financial Conference. This Sports Financial Conference will be held here from the 26^th to the 28^th of November 2024,” he said, referring to a proposal by the minister of youth and sports.

“And for him to prepare for this, he is requesting a sum of $250,000 to enable him to prepare and invite all the people whom he will appeal to and request to fund the $9,080,000 project for funding these teams,” Makuei further explained.

The senior government official concluded by revealing that the cabinet meeting has directed the ministry of finance to release the funds to the ministry of youth and sports to facilitate the conference and subsequent team funding.