South Sudan’s government has ordered the Ministry of Finance and Planning to begin clearing outstanding salaries owed to civil servants, members of the organized forces and staff working at the country’s diplomatic missions abroad.
The directive was issued by the Ministerial High-Level Committee on Economic Reform during an extraordinary meeting in Juba chaired by Acting Chairperson Ateny Wek Ateny.
Minister of Public Service and Human Resource Development Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, who also serves as the committee’s Acting Rapporteur, told journalists after the meeting that the Finance Ministry had been instructed to start processing the payments.
Revenue performance cited
The decision followed a briefing on the government’s recent domestic revenue collections presented by South Sudan Revenue Authority Commissioner General Moun Deng Ajuet.
According to the committee, revenue collected during the first half of August — from August 1 to 15, 2026 — was considered sufficient to allow the government to address some of its immediate financial obligations.
The committee did not specify how much in salary arrears would be paid or when all outstanding payments would be fully settled.
Relief for public workers
The directive is likely to be closely watched by thousands of government employees and members of the organized forces who have faced delays in receiving their salaries.
Government employees serving in South Sudan’s diplomatic missions overseas are also included in the order.
For workers who depend primarily on government wages, the release of delayed salaries could provide much-needed financial relief at a time when households continue to face economic difficulties.
Focus on domestic revenue
The decision comes as the government seeks to increase the amount of money collected through domestic sources and strengthen management of public finances.
By directing locally generated revenue toward salary payments, authorities appear to be giving priority to one of the government’s most immediate recurring obligations.
The economic reform committee is expected to continue reviewing revenue collections and government spending as it monitors the country’s financial position.
The latest directive, however, will now face its key test in implementation: whether the Finance Ministry can translate the order into actual payments to workers and personnel whose salaries remain outstanding.
