Thirty-nine government officials and members of parliament from the Jubek State Legislative Assembly have concluded a two-day training on public finance and gender-responsive budgeting.

The training is part of the efforts to strengthen legislative infrastructure for oversight and economic progress in South Sudan, founded in 2011 after splitting from its northern neighbour following decades of war.

The training, held recently in Juba, was conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding from the African Development Bank and the Government of Japan.

“The training is timely since it came after the signing of a revitalized peace agreement. With this training, the members of parliament should be able to provide oversight of public finances,” said Jubek State Deputy Governor Hon. Francis Latio.

Jubek State was one of the first states in South Sudan to establish an independent State Revenue Authority after its parliament passed the Jubek Revenue Authority Act in 2017. The project is implemented in Jubek, Gbudue, Aweil, Torit, Jonglei, and Gogrial states.

 “Accountability in public finance at the state level will create a financial system which is pivotal for sustainable development through ensuring sustainable budget expenditures, fostering ownership, reducing dependency on aid and reducing oil dependency,” said Lealem Berhanu Dinku, UNDP Senior Programme Advisor, speaking on behalf of the UNDP Resident Representative.

Establishing a modern, harmonized and accountable public finance system at the state level as well as strengthening the institutional and human resource capacity of state governments in South Sudan is crucial for service delivery.

“Accordingly, this workshop put the Jubek State Legislative Assembly in the forefront to discharge its responsibilities for an efficient, accountable and transparent public finance for service delivery,” Mr. Dinku added.

Similar training sessions have recently been provided to MPs and government officials in Aweil, Gbudue, Gogrial, Jonglei and Torit.