South Sudan’s Ministry of Presidential Affairs has proposed a sharp increase in its budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, according to draft budget estimates seen by Radio Tamazuj.
The ministry, which oversees the administration and operations of the presidency, is seeking 32.29 billion South Sudanese pounds (SSP), a 38 percent rise from the 23.38 billion SSP approved for 2024/25.
Budget documents show the request follows reported spending outturns of 1.37 trillion SSP in the previous fiscal year, a figure that appears to consolidate expenditure across the presidential cluster.
The proposed increase comes as several ministries, including foreign affairs and transport, complain that their budget ceilings are insufficient to cover basic operational costs such as salaries, embassy rents and utilities.
Most of the presidential affairs budget is earmarked for operational spending. Allocations for “use of goods and services” – including travel, supplies, utilities and medical costs – would rise to 22.24 billion SSP, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total request.
The draft also includes 4.53 billion SSP for the executive office of the president, 2.14 billion SSP for the office of the first vice president, and more than 1.25 billion SSP for each of the four vice-presidential clusters.
The ministry has 2,329 approved positions, of which 1,635 are currently filled, and is responsible for the security and welfare of the president and vice presidents, as well as units such as the presidential medical service, state protocol and the office of the first lady.
The draft budget, which covers multiple government agencies, must be debated and approved by parliament before it can take effect. It was tabled before lawmakers last week by Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol.
The proposed budget projects total expenditure of 8.58 trillion SSP against expected revenues of 7.01 trillion SSP, leaving a financing gap of 1.57 trillion SSP.