Adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standard, Governance and Quality of Financial Reporting in Juba City Council, South Sudan

The adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in South Sudan has been driven by increasing demands for financial transparency and accountability in the public sector. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Audit Chamber of South Sudan and Deloitte auditing company have played a key role in facilitating this transition, ensuring alignment with global accounting standards and the principles of government financial evaluation. Therefore, this independent study seeks to analyze conceptually and theoretically the developed and theoretical frameworks related to the comprehensive analysis of IPSAS and quality of financial reporting of Juba City Council, South Sudan, and to identify potentials gaps in the empirical literature by examining the impacts of IPSAS adoption. Challenges, benefits and long-term implications of these reforms were identified. Significance of this study is premised on helping Juba City Council accountants and economic managers improve financial reporting and also act as point of references for academic research. The study is grounded in theoretical frameworks that inform public sector accounting, including Institutional, political, resource dependency, public choice and agency theories, which provide insights into governance, compliance, and institutional accountability. From empirical literature reviewed, conceptual, contextual and methodological gaps were identified. Building from existing model, a new theoretical model was proposed with public policy sector and governance being the mediating variable and moderating variable respectively. The research puts forward that prospective research should rivet on assessing long-term outcomes IPSAS implementation. The study also concludes that that adopting these standards has significantly improved financial reporting accuracy and transparency despite governance challenges such as inadequate supervision and limited training hindering full realization of these benefits. The study recommends that Juba City Council should implement comprehensive capacity-building programs for accounting personnel while simultaneously developing a robust legal framework that mandates IPSAS compliance and harmonizes local regulations with international standards. Additionally, the Council should modernize financial recordkeeping systems through technological investments, establish independent audit committees, and promote a culture of transparency through regular publication of financial reports and citizen engagement in financial decision-making processes. Keywords: Quality reporting, public sector accounting standards, professional training, governance, legal compliance