Juba, South Sudan — 2nd April 2026 — The Ministry of Finance and Planning (MoFP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today signed the Public Finance Management Reform Strategy Support (PFMRSS) project, a five-year partnership (2026–2031) to strengthen public finance management and advance transparency, accountability and effective resource use in South Sudan. Notably, this marks the first time the Government of South Sudan is the donor for a UN implemented initiative — signaling a major step in national ownership and leadership.

“This milestone—where the Government itself finances a UN implemented initiative—demonstrates strong national commitment to PFM reform and to aligning public resources with national priorities,” said Hon. Benjamin Ayali Koyongwa, Undersecretary for Planning, Ministry of Finance and Planning. “It provides for accountability and credibility to improve service delivery for our citizens.”

The PFMRSS project will support the operationalization of the PFM Concept Note and Roadmap endorsed by the Council of Ministers as part of implementing Chapter Four of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R‑ARCSS). The project focuses on supporting the PFM Oversight Committee (PFM‑OC), the Technical Committee (PFM‑TC) and the Working Group (PFM‑WG) to implement eleven priority areas and two cross‑cutting themes identified in the roadmap.

Key project objectives include:
•    Strengthening the PFM Secretariat in line with the endorsed governance structure, terms of reference and the PFM Roadmap.
•    Coordinating and managing PFM‑OC, PFM‑TC and PFM‑WG meetings, and following up on the implementation of committee resolutions and recommendations.
•    Enhancing the performance of PFM Working Group members and Change Agents in implementing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through targeted training, coaching, mentoring, workshops, and knowledge‑sharing exchanges.

“We are working on this project with our partners, but we must take the lead,” said Hon. Salvatore Garang Mabiordit, Minister of Finance and Planning and Chair of Oversight Committee. “By supporting institutional coordination and building capacity across government, we will improve the planning, prioritization and oversight of public resources for the benefit of citizens.”

“Effective public finance systems are fundamental to restoring public trust, improving service delivery and accelerating development,” said Dr. Mohamed Abchir, UNDP Resident Representative. “UNDP is proud to partner with the Ministry of Finance to support implementation of the PFM Roadmap and to strengthen national capacities for transparent and accountable resource management.”

The PFMRSS project aims to deliver strengthened institutional coordination, improved follow‑up and implementation of PFM reforms, and enhanced technical capacity across MDAs—contributing to more predictable, efficient and equitable public spending and to the broader objectives of governance and stability under the R‑ARCSS.

PFMRSS builds on the achievements of the Governance and Economic Management Support (GEMS) project (2019–2025) and earlier IGAD RSS initiatives, strengthening the PFM Secretariat’s role within the Ministry to coordinate implementation of the PFM Roadmap. UNDP thanks all partners who supported GEMS—particularly the Government of Norway—and acknowledges the strong leadership of the Ministry of Finance & Planning and the PFM Secretariat, whose commitment made these gains possible. This joint initiative advances transparency, accountability and effective resource management—foundations for sustainable, nationally led development.

The project will be implemented in close coordination with national institutions, development partners, and technical stakeholders to ensure alignment with government priorities and to maximize impact.