Reports from Africa’s youngest state, southern Sudan indicate that in preparation for the official ascendance to independence in July, the government of south Sudan has announced that a new currency (south Sudanese Pound) will immediately roll into circulation.
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning David Deng Athorbei this weekend announced the printing of the currency was kept secret but the government of South Sudan is preparing herself to assume all monetary responsibilities of the nation with a new currency.
Athorbei disclosed that some of the features on the South Sudan Pound will include the face of Dr. John Garang, the culture, heritage and wealth symbols of the new southern Sudan.
John Garang had been a figurehead for the southern sudan revoliutionary struggle against segregation by the wealthy arab north.He was a charismatic military leader who spent more than 20 years at the head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. He was appointed Sudan’s first vice-president but died in a mysterious helicopter crash in 2005.
According to the minister, the face of the revolutionary leader will remind Sudanese of the long road to independence.
The finance minister has assured the people that Sudanese pound won’t be in use in the south after independence, “use of Sudan currency would undermine the independence of the south as the Bank of South Sudan would be rendered functionless to the country,” He explains.
The Bank of South Sudan will ninth of July release the new currency to the market and will receive all Sudanese pounds for storage and for final destruction.
The minister however assured traders and civil servants that the use of Sudanese pounds will not be dampened immediately the new currency is issued but, “there will be a grace period given by the Bank of South Sudan to return the currency.”
Athorbei urges continuation with economic activities and that the new currency will not affect trade and market exchange rates.
The government of southern Sudan has contracted a European Company for the printing adding that it will release the new currency once USA or UK acknowledges the independence of South Sudan. He added that the North may also issue a new currency on July 9, 2011.
Meanwhile the south Sudan Army has stated that former deputy chief of general staff that defected from the army, General George Athor Deng, is organizing his forces to launch massive attack inside the South to undermine the states declaration of independence on July 9.
Gen. Athor, who recruits most of his supporters from his home state of Jonglei, was the first high ranking officer in South Sudan army to rebel against the government since its formation in 2005 following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended 21 years of war between North and South Sudan.
He rebelled in May 2010, citing elections rigging in Jonglei state, after independently losing to his rival, Kuol Manyang Juuk, the current state governor who was backed by the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.
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