Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang - SSPDF spokesperson during a press conference at the SSPDF Headquarters in Bilpam - Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio - 10 January 2023

The Joint Defence Board has proposed a budget of $33 million to complete the remaining tasks of the security arrangements, according to the Army Spokesperson.

Major General Lul Ruai Koang, spokesperson for the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, confirmed this to Eye Radio on Wednesday.

Gen. Lul stated that the budget was submitted to Tut Gatluak, who serves as both the Chairperson of the National Transitional Committee and the Presidential Advisor on Security, on Tuesday.

Since the beginning of the NUF deployment in November 2023, only a small fraction of the 53,000 soldiers who graduated in the first phase of the security arrangement have been assigned.

Gen. Lul explained that once the funds are available, the remaining tasks of Phase One will be completed, and implementation of Phase Two will begin immediately.

He projected that, once funded, the implementation could be accomplished within the next three to six months.

“Regarding the implementation of Transitional Security Arrangements, yesterday, JDB (Joint Defence Board) chaired by the SSPDF Chief of Defence Forces submitted a budget of 33 million dollars to NTC Chair Honourable Tut Gatluak,” said Gen. Lul.

“They projected that, up on unavailing of the resources, the remaining task of Phase One and implementation of Phase Two will take between three to six months,” he said.

According to Gen. Lul, the NTC Chairperson, Tut Gatluak, has not yet presented the budget proposal to the government for consideration.