Key Milestones on South Sudan’s Engagement with the International Monetary Fund
Publication Summary
On November 17, 2022, the South Sudanese authorities reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF to conclude the third and final review of a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) and on key economic policies supporting a disbursement under the New Food Shock Window (FSW) of the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) for about US$112 million, combining that with a 9-month Program Monitoring with Board Involvement (PMB). The support under the FSW is intended to address food insecurity, boost social spending, and augment reserves, whereas the PMB will support economic policies aimed at maintaining macroeconomic stability and ensuring debt sustainability.
This Review highlights key milestones on South Sudan’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund. The rest of the Review proceeds in sections as follows: Section 2 outlines key milestones, Section 3 covers key actors, and Section 4 points to areas needing improvements. Section 5 concludes the Review.
James Alic Garang is a co-founder and scholar at The Sudd Institute. His areas of interest include macroeconomics, development economics, financial sector, and financial inclusion. He has in the past participated in host of academic and professional undertakings, including internships at the African Development Bank in Tunisia (2009-2010), as a lead evaluator on the Banking Sector during the “Comprehensive Evaluation of the Government of South Sudan, 2006-2010”, a consultant with the World Bank (2013-2014), and a board member serving on a number of charitable organizations and academic affiliations. A former McNair Scholar, and a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, James holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. A former Deputy Dean of Faculty of Economic & Social Studies at Upper Nile University and a Senior Economist with the Ebony Center for Strategic Studies, he is currently a Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the IMF Executive Board in Washington, DC.