South Sudan passes budget despite lacking funds

AFP, JUBA:  South Sudan’s parliament has passed a $300 million (250 million euro) budget despite the war-torn country’s government conceding it lacked the funds to pay for it.

Nearly four years of civil war, as well as inadequate and decrepit infrastructure, have left the country with few sources of revenue, with oil fields that used to account for 90 per cent of government income producing at very low levels and other businesses struggling.

Wani Buyu Dyori, undersecretary for economic planning at the finance ministry, said the government can raise around two-thirds of the 46 billion South Sudanese pounds needed for the budget, which was passed on Monday.

“The funding comes from oil revenues and non-oil revenues and the development partners—they always give us some resources for our people,” he said.

But Buyu admitted there would be “challenges” in raising sufficient money.

“The business community are not going to get goods in and whom do we tax if they are not coming?” Buyu said, adding that the world’s youngest country is also losing the support of traditional donors.

South Sudan passes budget despite lacking funds

AFP, JUBA: South Sudans parliament has passed a $300 million (250 million euro) budget despite the war-torn countrys government conceding it lacked the funds to pay for it. Nearly four years of civil war, as well as inadequate and decrepit infrastructure, have left the country with few sources of revenue, with oil fields that used to account for 90 per cent of government income producing at very low levels and other businesses struggling. Wani Buyu Dyori, undersecretary for economic planning at the finance ministry, said the government can raise around two-thirds of the 46 billion South Sudanese pounds needed for the budget, which was passed on Monday. The funding comes from oil revenues and non-oil revenues and the development partnersthey always give us some resources for our people, he said. But Buyu admitted there would be challenges in raising sufficient money. The business community are not going to get goods in and whom do we tax if they are not coming? Buyu said, adding that the worlds youngest country is also losing the support of traditional donors.