(JUBA) – The retention of Ateny Wek Ateny as Minister of Information, Communication Technology (ICT) and Postal Services despite the dissolution of the government shows a deliberate recognition that digital and broadcasting infrastructure is a core pillar of national stability, especially during an election cycle.
This is according to an analyst after President Salva Kiir Mayardit dissolved the transitional government to pave the way for elections in December in the world’s newest country.
Formerly the Press Secretary to Mayardit, Ateny has been minister in that portfolio since 2025 and will act in a caretaker capacity until the election.
The Ministry of ICT and Postal Services welcomed the move, saying Ateny’s tested leadership competencies and capabilities in the role had earned him the president’s trust and confidence for this reappointment.
Arok Lual, a local analyst, echoed the sentiments in an interview with CAJ News Africa from Juba.
“In a developing state like South Sudan, the government’s commitment to ICT can be viewed through some distinct lenses,” he said.
“Choosing not to leave the ICT ministry vacant signals that telecommunications, cybersecurity, and digital regulatory frameworks are deemed too vital to national security to be put on hold, even temporarily.”
Lual, however, noted that while the move showed that the presence of an ICT authority was indispensable, a caretaker government was inherently limited.
“Caretaker administrations generally focus on maintaining the status quo rather than rolling out long term technological investments, nationwide internet expansion or digital literacy programmes,” he said.
Lual believes retaining a trusted presidential ally suggests the immediate priority for the ICT sector is political management and effective state messaging, rather than radical tech innovation or sector reform in the short term.
“Ultimately, it shows that the government views ICT not just as an economic asset for the future, but as a critical, real time tool for national governance and political transition,” he said.
The East African country of over 12 million people is accelerating its digital transformation through major infrastructure investments, rural connectivity partnerships and regional integration initiatives. It is making up for time lost during a civil war that started in 2013, two years after independence.
