Hon. Reath Muoch at the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., claims to represent South Sudan in the absence of the official delegation, which arrived on the final day of the conference – Courtesy photo

Washington, D.C, (US) April 27, 2025 — South Sudan’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. has clashed with Hon. Reath Muoch, a member of parliament, over his participation in the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.

The issue emerged when Hon. Reath attended the meetings as a representative of the Transitional Legislative Assembly. In response, the Embassy issued a public statement clarifying that he did not have an official mandate from Juba.

“Hon. Reath Muoch Tang is attending the meetings strictly in his individual capacity under the framework of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), not as a representative of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan,” the Embassy stated.

“His presence does not reflect any official endorsement or recognition by the IMF, the World Bank, or the Government of South Sudan.”

The Embassy emphasized that South Sudan’s official delegation was led by Finance Minister Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater, alongside Central Bank Governor Johnny Ohisa Damian and Ambassador Santino Fardol Watod Dicken. The delegation, however, only arrived in Washington on the final day of the conference.

In a strong response, Hon. Reath dismissed the Embassy’s statement as “false” and criticized the delegation’s late arrival, arguing that their absence from key discussions demonstrated a lack of commitment to international engagement.

He argued that South Sudan missed out on valuable opportunities to advocate for development support and stressed that the Embassy should have welcomed his efforts, not undermined them.

“Rather than undermining my efforts, the Embassy should have been grateful that someone was present to represent and defend our national interests.”

In a document shared with Eye Radio, Hon. Reath, who resides in Washington, D.C. with his family, revealed that he was invited to attend the meetings on April 7, 2025.

On April 24, South Sudan’s official delegation—led by Finance Minister Dr. Marial Dongrin and Central Bank Governor John Ohisa Damian—departed for Washington, D.C. to attend the 2025 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, which were already underway.

The annual meetings bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, private sector leaders, and development experts to discuss global economic challenges, including growth, debt, and poverty reduction.

This year’s forum, which began on April 21, comes at a difficult time for global cooperation, as aid budgets decline, debt levels climb, and uncertainty around trade continues to impact economies worldwide.