South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed the country’s finance minister, who was just a year into the job, state-owned television reported.
Kiir gave no reason for firing Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater, who was appointed in July 2024, the report said late on Thursday. He has been replaced by Athian Diing Athian, who is returning to the post.
This is the seventh change in the finance ministry since 2020.
Athian previously served as finance minister from September 2020 to November 2021, when he was replaced by Agak Achuil Lual. Athian was dismissed at the time for alleged insubordination, after reportedly failing to inform the president of the exact state of government finances.
He also served as Commissioner-General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) from June to October 2023.
South Sudan’s economy has been under increasing pressure in recent years, with banks now facing severe cash shortages.
Central Bank Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othow said in July that the institution planned to print more South Sudanese Pounds as a short-term measure to address the liquidity crisis.
Dr. Abraham Maliet Mamer, a Juba-based economic analyst and economic advisor to the Economic Cluster of the transitional government, told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that the ministerial change comes as Kiir seeks “solutions to the country’s economic challenges.”
He described the new finance minister as experienced and capable of drawing from his previous tenure, although the current circumstances are more difficult.
“The time now is different from when he was minister before — things were a little bit rosy. His return to the ministry is a big challenge, so he has to work harder and move quickly,” Maliet said.
“My advice to the new minister is to draw on his previous experience and also tap into human resources that can support him in addressing the current situation,” he added.
However, political observer Edmund Yakani said frequent changes in the finance ministry are destabilizing the economy.
“The regular reshuffling of finance ministers is becoming a factor of economic and financial instability,” Yakani said.
He added that the latest shake-up may further disrupted the work of the Finance Ministry.
“This culture of frequent changes also nurtures corruption and undermines efforts to implement public finance reforms. I hope this latest change will not delay the passing of the 2025–2026 national budget,” Yakani said.
Separately, President Kiir also dismissed Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing as Minister of Investment, appointing Joseph Muom Majak, a former trade minister, to the post.
In other decrees, Kiir removed Arop Nuoi Arop as First Undersecretary of Finance in the Ministry of Finance and Planning and replaced him with Garang Majak Bol, who previously held the same position.