The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has passed the draft Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/2025 national budget to its third reading stage.
The draft budget, totaling 4.2 trillion South Sudanese pounds, was approved by the cabinet in August and presented to parliament by the finance minister in September.
This budget prioritizes peace implementation, clearing salary arrears for civil servants, and boosting the agriculture and mining sectors to reduce reliance on oil.
The next step will be the third reading, where lawmakers will have the opportunity to debate and vote on the final version of the budget.
"Honorable members of the House, we have now passed the bill for the national budget for fiscal year 2024-2025," remarked Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba, speaker of TNLA.
The lawmakers also passed the FY 2024/2025 Financial Bill and FY 2024/2025 Appropriations Bill.
"The three reports that were presented to the third reading have been reviewed, and now the third reading will be scheduled, and you will be notified,” Nunu stated.
During its second reading, some lawmakers expressed concerns about specific allocations and the potential long-term economic impact of certain spending decisions, particularly on health, education, and the environment.
As the third reading approaches, all eyes will be on the final discussions, which are expected to involve intense debate over the priorities set out in the budget.
Last week, members of the public voiced their concerns about the delay in passing the draft budget, stating that it has a significant impact on public service delivery.
South Sudan’s fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30.
However, the process of submitting and approving the fiscal year 2024-2025 national budget was slowed down by unexpected events and the continuous changes in the minister of Finance and Planning.