S. Sudan parliament adjourns sitting aimed to finalize fiscal budget

JUBA – South Sudan’s transitional parliament adjourned its sitting on Monday, planning to continue on Tuesday as the Finance Committee finalizes the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget for submission to the President for assent.

Parliament spokesperson Oliver Mori Benjamin said lawmakers had spent the last 30 days working on the budget and it was now time to finalize it and send it to the President for approval.

“As you are all aware, Parliament has spent the last 30 days working on the budget, which was passed last week with recommendations and observations,” Mori told reporters after the adjournment of the sitting.

“Today marks our first sitting since the budget was passed. We had a comfortable majority of about 320 members present, including those on permission.”

Mori further explained that while four items were originally on the agenda, the priority was the finalization of the budget before it could be sent to the President.

“After the budget is passed, the Finance Committee and parliamentary leadership must ensure that all recommendations are incorporated into the budget before it is presented to the head of state for assent,” he said.

First Deputy Speaker Nathaniel Oyet Peri, who chaired Monday’s sitting, noted that the budget process had temporarily halted other parliamentary activities.

“The budget process suspended most of our activities in the House as part of the constitution and the conduct of business regulations,” Oyet said.

“Now we have to resume our normal business according to the constitution and the conduct of business. I would like to inform you that the budget is still with us; it has not yet reached the office of the President.”

Oyet further stressed the urgency of completing the process, adding, “It is of paramount importance that the bill reaches the office of the President as soon as possible. Today, we have designated the day to interact with the Finance Committee to have a final look at the budget before dispatching it to the President for his assent.”

Oyet confirmed that the sitting would not continue as planned. “We want to use today to finalize the bills and then send them to the President’s office. The budget is already late, so we must proceed with urgency,” he concluded.