SPLM Organizes Economic Reforms Workshop for South Sudan

The ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-SPLM party has organized a five day Economic Reforms workshop in Juba, as part of the preparations for the new nation “Republic of South Sudan” awaiting independence in July of this year.

Taking place at Home and Away Business Center the workshops theme is “Growth and Sustainable Development in the New Republic of South Sudan”.

The weeklong workshop that kicked off yesterday brought together over one hundred and fifty senior officials of the ruling party from the ten states of Southern Sudan.

In attendance was the State Ministers of Finance from the ten States of South Sudan and Abyei, assistant SPLM State Secretaries of Finance, the GOSS Ministers representing financial, Public Service and professionals from the private sector, Chamber of Commerce and Workers Trade Union.

Gabriel Alaak Garang, SPLM National Secretary of Finance and Economic Affairs who is the Chief Organizer of the event explained to Gurtong that the workshop aims to reform SPLM’s economic policy. He said that the Government of Southern Sudan-GOSS has been using the party’s economic paper since 2005 when the government came in place.

“The aim of the economic reform workshop is to try to get a blue print policy on economic reform which we shall use to advise the government of the new Republic of South Sudan,” Alaak said.

Alaak added, “If we really don’t think critical at this particular moment then we might not go to the right way in trying to develop our economy when South Sudan becomes a Republic.”

The workshop is expected to come out with a structural paper focusing on reforming financial institutions and restructuring agriculture sector among others.

The paper shall include discussions on how to strengthen the market and institutions on exportation and importation of goods and services among other economic issues.

It is also expected to come up with what kind of macro-economic policies that South Sudan as a region that predominantly depends on oil should have.

The workshop is also expected to diagnose on how the Bank of South Sudan which is to become central bank, will function and how private commercial banks should champion it.

It is also expected to discuss on mining petroleum in the new nation to be.

Speaking at the opening of the function, SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum said that building of a nation is all about the economy, creating of wealth and a conducive environment that has good security.