South Sudan’s announces budget of $2.3 billion for 2011

November 15, 2010 (JUBA) – The semi-autonomous Southern Sudan government (GoSS) has approved the 2011 budget to be presented before the legislative assembly.

Security remained the top item in the budget which was approved on Monday in an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers.

In less than two months the people of South Sudan will decide whether they want to form their own state amid fears of an unstable new country plagued with civil strife.

The projected revenue that makes up the bulk of the budget is driven mainly from the south’s oil fields which are split 50-50 with the national government in Khartoum as part of a 2005 peace deal.

Non-oil revenues have made up less than 3% of the overall annual budget for the last six years.

Officials blame the situation on malpractices in collection of non-oil revenue sources such as taxes and duties.

The next step is to present the approved budget to south Sudan’s parliament the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly for possible amendments and approval.

(ST)