Finance Ministry Opens Institute to Reform Revenue Collection

(JUBA) — South Sudan’s Minister of Finance and Planning, Hon. Dr Marial Dongrin Ater, on Tuesday inaugurated the South Sudan Institute of Revenue Administration (SSIRA), alongside the extension of the Non Oil Revenue Mobilisation and Accountability project (NORMA Phase II).

The launch held in Juba is seen as a key step in the government’s ongoing efforts to improve domestic revenue collection and enhance financial transparency.

Dr Dongrin said the establishment of the institute and continuation of NORMA demonstrate the government’s strong commitment to building institutional capacity in tax and customs administration.

Dr Dongrin stated that SSIRA is intended to serve as a professional and modern training hub, producing qualified and ethical revenue officers who will contribute to better governance of public finances.

“Through SSIRA, we aim to develop a new generation of tax and customs professionals equipped to manage our resources with transparency and integrity,” he said.

The Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority, Hon. Simon Akuei Deng, described the inauguration as a national investment in both human capacity and institutional systems.

He noted that the institute will offer a wide range of technical and professional programmes to equip revenue officials with the knowledge and skills needed to improve non oil revenue collection.

The South Sudan Institute of Revenue Administration is being supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under its flagship Non Oil Revenue Mobilisation and Accountability programme. NORMA Phase I recently came to an end, and its success has led to the extension of the initiative into a second phase.

NORMA aims to reduce the country’s reliance on oil by expanding and strengthening alternative sources of revenue, especially taxes and customs duties.

With NORMA Phase II now underway, the ministry hopes to increase domestic revenue, improve public accountability and train hundreds of officials in modern tax administration practices.

Summary of the project and expected outcomes: