JUBA, 9 February 2026 — South Sudan’s presidency is seeking a substantial rise in funding for the upcoming 2025/26 fiscal year, even as other government ministries warn that limited budgets are hampering their ability to function.
Draft budget figures presented to parliament show the Ministry of Presidential Affairs has requested 32.29 billion South Sudanese pounds (SSP), marking a 38 percent increase from the 23.38 billion SSP allocated in the current 2024/25 financial year.
The ministry, which manages the administrative and operational affairs of the presidency, says most of the requested funds would go toward day-to-day operations. About 22.24 billion SSP — nearly 70 percent of the total proposal — is designated for goods and services such as official travel, utilities, medical services, and office supplies.
Additional allocations outlined in the draft include 4.53 billion SSP for the president’s executive office and 2.14 billion SSP for the office of the first vice president. Each of the four vice-presidential clusters would receive more than 1.25 billion SSP.
The ministry currently has 2,329 approved staff positions, with 1,635 filled. Its responsibilities extend beyond administrative coordination to include presidential security, state protocol, medical services, and oversight of the office of the first lady.
The proposed increase comes at a time when several ministries — including foreign affairs and transport — have voiced concerns that their budget ceilings are too low to cover essential costs such as salaries, embassy rent, and utilities.
Overall, the national draft budget projects total spending of 8.58 trillion SSP against anticipated revenues of 7.01 trillion SSP, creating a shortfall of 1.57 trillion SSP. Lawmakers will debate the spending plan before any allocations are finalized.
Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol presented the draft to parliament last week.
