Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:
The South Sudanese cabinet approved a package of decisions aimed at supporting the sports sector and promoting economic stability during its regular meeting, which was chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Allocating funds to support the national football and basketball teams
The council approved allocating funding to support the national football and basketball teams, as part of preparations for upcoming international competitions, reflecting the state’s direction to enhance its presence in regional and international sports forums.
In parallel, the South Sudanese cabinet approved a set of financial reforms aimed at increasing non-oil revenues, as part of a broader government strategy to diversify income sources and reduce dependence on oil revenues, which represent the main resource for the national economy.
Improving the efficiency of financial collection
The new reforms focus on improving the efficiency of financial collection and developing resource management mechanisms, which will contribute to supporting economic stability and achieving sustainable development goals.
These steps come at a time when the government of South Sudan is seeking to strike a balance between supporting vital sectors, foremost among them sports, and implementing economic reforms that enhance the state's ability to meet financial challenges and improve long-term economic performance.
South Sudan's national basketball team launches its training camp
In a related context, the South Sudan national basketball team is launching its training camp in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, as part of its final preparations for the third window of the African qualifiers for the World Cup, scheduled from July 2 to 5.
The “Bright Stars” are expected to play a strong friendly match against the Ugandan national team at the BK Arena, with the aim of raising the physical and technical readiness and assessing the level of the players before the official competitions.
The camp is witnessing a strong boost with the return of star player Carlic Jones under the leadership of coach Royal Ivy, in addition to the call-up of two new players, Ahir Akwik and Meir Panwam, to strengthen the team's ranks.
The coaching staff announced an expanded preliminary list of 24 players, most notably: Dio Abuk Deng, James Pile Choder, Sunday Dish, Junior Madut, Jackson Makuei, Lual Deng, Coach Bar, Winyen Gabriel, Noni Omot, GT Thor, Mangoc Mathiang, and Kor Quath, in addition to other elements.
The national team enters this stage with great ambitions to continue its strong results on the African scene, and to strive to secure a ticket to the World Cup finals, relying on a mix of experience and young talents.
