The leadership of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDAA)—Hon. Ayii Bol Akol, Acting Chairperson of the Board (left), and Hon. Deng Akuei Kak, Executive Director (right)—held a fruitful meeting with Hon. Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol, Minister of Finance and Planning (center), to present the progress made since the Authority’s establishment in February 2023.

During the meeting, the PPDAA leadership briefed the Minister on the completion of the Authority’s institutional structures that  enables the operationalization of the public procurement and disposal of Assets system across the country. They also discussed ongoing preparations for the launch of South Sudan’s  procurement and disposal of assets system, the submission of the inaugural PPDAA's Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) for the Financial Year 2024/25, and the postponement of the 17th East African Procurement Forum (EAPF) to February or March 2026 pending budget approval.

The Minister commended PPDAA for the significant progress achieved and agreed to support the operationalization of the procurement and disposal of assets  system in line with the FY 2025/26 budget. He emphasized that all public institutions and spending agencies will proceed according to the availability of funds once the budget is approved. Regarding the 17th EAPF, the Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to host the event to uphold South Sudan’s image within the East African region, while ensuring that the forum aligns with the austerity measures under ongoing public financial management reforms.

The meeting also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment—and collaboration with Development Partners (DPs) under the Minister’s leadership—to ensure the sustainability of PPDAA. The Minister further indicated that the estimated budget for the EAPF will be manageable and pledged to brief H.E. the President on the existence, progress, and achievements of the Authority.

The discussions concluded with an agreement to develop a practical matrix outlining the next steps for implementing the resolutions reached during the meeting.