Kiir Sacks Finance and Investment Ministers Amid Worsening Economic Outlook

(JUBA) – President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed Finance Minister Dr Marial Dongrin Ater and Investment Minister Dr Dhieu Mathok Diing in a surprise reshuffle announced on state broadcaster SSBC on Thursday evening.

Athian Diing Athian has been named as the new Finance Minister, returning to a position he last held between 2020 and 2021. Joseph Mum Majak, a former Trade Minister, has been appointed as the new Minister of Investment. No reasons were given for the dismissals.

The reshuffle comes at a time when South Sudan is struggling with deepening economic problems, including runaway inflation, falling oil revenues, and a weak investment climate.

South Sudan’s economy has been fragile for years, weakened by conflict, political instability and external shocks. The 2013–2018 civil war severely disrupted oil production, which provides most of the country’s income. The recent war in neighbouring Sudan has further obstructed oil exports, leaving the government with limited revenue streams.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects inflation in South Sudan to reach 54.8 per cent in 2025, while the South Sudanese Pound has lost around one third of its value against the US dollar in recent months. At the official exchange rate of 4,600 SSP to one US dollar, the local currency continues to struggle.

Dr Dongrin, who took office in July 2024, is the seventh person to hold the finance portfolio since 2020. He previously served as deputy commissioner general of the National Revenue Authority and entered office promising reforms to consolidate government accounts and strengthen non-oil revenue. His time in office, however, was too short to make an impact.

Similarly, Dr Mathok’s tenure as Minister of Investment was brief. Appointed in 2022, he was tasked with attracting foreign investors and diversifying the economy away from oil. Yet insecurity, weak infrastructure and political uncertainty undermined his efforts. Investor confidence has remained low, with South Sudan still heavily reliant on oil exports for government spending.

The new Finance Minister, Athian Diing Athian, returns to the ministry with previous experience but also a record marked by challenges. During his earlier tenure from September 2020 to November 2021, he oversaw a government struggling to pay public sector salaries and to manage limited resources. He attempted reforms but left office as the economy remained in crisis.

Joseph Mum Majak, the new Investment Minister, also has prior experience in government, having served briefly as Minister of Trade before being removed in March 2025. Colleagues describe him as pragmatic and focused on practical measures. Yet he faces the same obstacles that hindered his predecessor, as South Sudan’s investment environment continues to be hampered by political uncertainty and insecurity.

“Investors need stability and clear policies, which South Sudan lacks,” said Professor Abraham Kuol Nyuon of the University of Juba. “Majak’s challenge will be convincing the world that South Sudan is worth the risk.”

President Kiir’s frequent cabinet changes are part of a broader pattern within the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU). The coalition government, established under the 2018 peace agreement, requires delicate power sharing between Kiir’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and opposition groups led by First Vice President Riek Machar.

While the appointments bring back experienced figures, the broader question remains whether South Sudan’s leadership can implement the reforms needed to stabilise the economy and restore confidence among investors and citizens alike.

Timeline of South Sudan’s Finance Ministers Since 2020