President Salva Kiir has dismissed Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater, marking the seventh change in the position since 2020, state-owned radio reported on Thursday. No official reason was provided for Ater’s removal.
Athian Ding Athian, who previously held the finance post between 2020 and 2021, has been appointed as his successor. The government also fired the minister in charge of investment, according to state radio.
South Sudan has faced persistent economic challenges in recent years, compounded by communal violence and declining crude oil revenues since the 2013–2018 civil war. The situation has been further exacerbated by recent disruptions in oil exports due to the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan. The International Monetary Fund forecasts a 4.3% contraction of South Sudan’s economy in 2025, alongside inflation projected at 65.7%.
Kiir, who became the country’s first president following independence from Sudan in 2011, has recently overseen heightened political tensions. In March, First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest, raising fears of renewed conflict.
Information Minister Michael Makuei justified the detention, accusing Machar of “agitating his supporters to rebel against the government with the aim of disrupting peace and preventing elections.” Machar’s party has denied the allegations.
The latest ministerial changes come as South Sudan grapples with economic instability and lingering political unrest, raising questions about the government’s ability to restore stability and growth.
Written By Rodney Mbua
