South Sudan devises new policy to improve procurement

The regional government of southern Sudan on Tuesday said it is devising strong rules and regulations that would govern the purchase of goods and services. Speaking to the press, the south’s minister of finance David Deng Athor, said the government is seriously engaged in devising policies to improve the procurement of goods and services for government and private institutions.

The minister said these policies would first be reviewed before circulated for implementation by relevant institutions. “The importance of these policies aims at cutting down public expenditure and providing a market to local entrepreneurs,” said Athor. "The proposed changes will also address primary objectives of controlling expenditure, getting value for money and involvement of local entrepreneurs in the procurement market," he added.

Athor is a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the south’s ruling party, said procurement policy delivers benefits for government, suppliers and the community. He said the policy would provide for better criteria for measuring discipline in public procurement, a crucial factor in good governance.

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