By Simon Akot Mawien,
Sep 30, 2021 — On 24th September 2021, the Executive Director in the Office of the President, James Deng Wal wrote a letter to the Minister of Finance & Economic Planning, Athian Diing Athian relaying the directives of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to cancel Sovereign Guarantee worth USD 650 million for Silwana Global Group and Amok General Trading LLC. These two companies are associated with the corrupt prominent businessmen Kur Ajing Ater and Paulino Diing Madol. The letter cites pressure from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the reason for the cancellation of the sovereign guarantee. He also cited Public Financial Management reforms being undertaken by the Ministry of Finance and Bank of South Sudan with the support of the World Bank and IMF.
It was also reported that the Minister of Finance & Economic Planning Athian Diing Athian and the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, Dier Tong Ngor had advised the President to cancel the Sovereign Guarantee when it emerged that the World Bank and IMF had warned the Government of South Sudan to withhold millions of US dollars in loans and financial aid as well as suspend the ongoing Public Financial Management reforms being undertaken by the Ministry of Finance with the support of the World Bank and IMF if this deal was allowed to proceed. It was also reported that Presidential Advisor on Security, Tut Gatluak Manime had advised the President to allow the deal to proceed.
When President Salva Kiir Mayardit eventually directed the Minister of Finance to cancel the Sovereign Guarantee for Silwana Global Group and Amok General Trading, Security Advisor Tut Gatluak was livid. He went back to the President and accused the Minister of Finance, Athian Diing Athian of leaking “confidential details of the meeting to the media”. He asked the President to fire Athian. Now one wonders why the Security Advisor is meddling in the economic affairs of the country when competent Minister of Finance and Governor of the Bank of South Sudan are there to execute the mandate given to them by the President of the Republic? What is the interest of the Security Advisor in this deal? Through our reliable sources, we can reliably report that Tut and his associates were going to pocket nearly USD 200 million for facilitating the signing and execution of this deal. Now that he is not getting any money, he is annoyed and he is going after the Minister of Finance & Planning, Athian Diing Athian for saving the country from losing billions of US dollars in fraud and blatant corruption.
We must commend the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit for taking this bold decision to save the country from losing billions of US dollars in fictitious and fraudulent deals and outright theft of resources meant for the people of South Sudan. Mr. President, the people of South Sudan starting from senior government officials to the common man in the street are happy with the bold decision you have taken. Our development partners are also happy with you. The World Bank and IMF have now promised to come back to the negotiating table and have agreed to provide soft loans and financial support to the Government of South Sudan. They have also agreed to help the Ministry of Finance & Planning with necessary financial reforms aimed at improving the economy of South Sudan. President Salva Kiir Mayardit has once again proven that indeed he has the interest of the people of South Sudan at heart and that he doesn’t entertain corruption.
On the same note, we must also congratulate the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Athian Diing Athian and the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan for advising President Salva Kiir Mayardit to do the right thing to cancel this Sovereign Guarantee. We are calling on President Salva Kiir Mayardit to ensure that Hon. Athian Diing Athian and Dier Tong are protected from the Security Advisor Tut Gatluak Manime who has launched a vicious campaign to have the two individuals dismissed from their positions and bring in his stooge who will auction away the future of South Sudan for their own selfish interests.
Since his appointment, Hon. Athian Diing Athian has done a tremendous job to set the economy of South Sudan on a path to recovery. He needs political support and protection from the President of the Republic to do his work without fear and intimidation from the Security Advisor, cartels and other unscrupulous businessmen such as Kur Ajing, Paulino Diing Madol, Benjamin Bol Mel, Ako Ayii etc. Hon. Athian has achieved the following milestones since his appointment as Minister of Finance & Planning by the President of the Republic in September 2020;
Public Financial Management Reforms
With the support of the World Bank and IMF, Hon. Athian Diing Athian has instituted financial reforms through the formation of the Public Financial Management Oversight Committee. This committee has been conducting regular meetings with development partners, donors and financial institutions such as World Bank, IMF, African Development among others to review measures aimed at improving South Sudan economy. Hon. Athian Diing has also ensured that any loan under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) from the IMF is prudently used to meet its intended purpose. This was confirmed in a recent report dated 9th September 2021 released by the Auditor General Steven Wondu. The Auditor General commended the Minister of Finance & Planning for ensuring that this facility from the IMF was not mismanaged. It was on the basis of this prudent use of the money from this facility that the IMF was able to advance additional USD 334 million to South Sudan in loans and financial support.
Improved Confidence and Renewed Relationship with IMF and World Bank
Under the leadership of Hon. Athian Diing Athian, the Republic of South Sudan has once again gained respect of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). It was through prudent use of loans and financial assistance from these institutions that South Sudan was able to receive nearly USD 500 million as loan and grants. Under his leadership as National Minister of Finance, Hon. Athian Diing Athian has ensured that this money has been put to good use by stabilizing the exchange rate as well as payment of salaries for civil servants and security forces on time. Hon. Athian Diing worked tirelessly to ensure that salaries arrears have been cleared. He has also ensured that the ongoing infrastructure projects such as major highways are funded so that they do not stall. These projects were initiated and supervised by President Salva Kiir Mayardit. By ensuring that these projects are funded, Hon. Athian Diing Athian is supporting the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to succeed. The successful implementation of these projects will form part of enduring legacy for the President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Stable inflation rate
Before his appointment as Minister of Finance and Planning, South Sudan was going through exponential and erratic inflation rate. Since his appointment, the inflation rate has stabilized. Long queues have become a thing of the past at petrol stations in Juba. Prices of basic commodities including foodstuff and medicines have dropped drastically allowing citizens of South Sudan to afford to put food on their tables. The National Bureau of Statistics has also reported stable inflation rates for basic goods and services.
Strong South Sudanese Pounds
Since the appointment of Hon. Athian Diing Athian as the Minister of Finance and Planning, the rate of exchange of South Sudanese Pounds against US Dollars and other currency has stabilized. The exchange rates dropped from the all-time high of 650 South Sudanese to 1 US Dollar to 400 South Sudanese to 1 US Dollar. The exchange rate has been stable since then and it is expected to drop even further with current prevailing peace and stability in the country expected to be cemented by the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in May 2019.
Stopped Borrowing from the Domestic Market (Bank of South Sudan and Commercial Bank)
Since his appointment, Hon. Athian Diing Athian has stopped domestic borrowing from the Bank of South Sudan and Commercial banks operating in South Sudan. It is not easy but Hon. Athian Diing Athian is doing his best to ensure that the domestic borrowing doesn’t erode confidence-building measures initiated by the Honourable Minister to improve the economic situation in South Sudan.
Honourable Athian Diing Athian is doing an excellent job as Minister of Finance & Planning. As mentioned earlier, he needs political protection and support from the President of the Republic. We are aware of efforts by the Security Advisor, Tut Gatluak to ensure that the Minister is fired so that he brings in old and corrupt individuals like David Deng Athorbei, Salvatore Garang Mabiordit, Stephen Dhieu Dau or Agak Achuil. These individuals have nothing new to offer. There will be serious political miscalculations if the President of the Republic decides to fire Athian and bring in any of the above mentioned individuals. People of South Sudan are tired of recycling old guards who have nothing new to offer. One senior SPLM official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that they have advised President Kiir not to consider recycling these old guards. “We have told the President that it is time to work on his legacy. Time is running out, continuing with recycling old guards who put him in trouble in the first place”. The same individuals are the ones responsible for the current economic mess that South Sudan has found itself in. It is high time for President Salva Kiir Mayardit to identify a crop of new and young leaders such as Hon. Athian Diing Athian and Dier Tong Ngor that will help him secure his everlasting legacy as the first democratically elected President of the Republic of South Sudan.
Solomon Akot Mawien is an Author and Commentator on Current Social, Economic and Political issues in South Sudan. He can be reached at skmawien@gmail.com.
