NewPublic Financial Management Reform: Sustainable Transformation

Dates:

• 7 - 11 June 2027 

• 04 - 08 October 2027

Course Outline

Public Financial Management (PFM) is the "linchpin" that connects available resources to the delivery of essential services and the achievement of high-level government policy objectives. In an era of increasing fiscal volatility and global commitments to sustainability, traditional PFM systems must evolve.

This intensive one-week course provides a comprehensive roadmap for officials to navigate the modern PFM landscape, moving beyond simple compliance to strategic management. By leveraging the PEFA 2016 Framework, participants will learn to benchmark their systems against international best practices, ensuring budget credibility, transparency, and accountability.

Crucially, the course integrates new PFM frontiers – Green PFM and Gender-Responsive Budgeting – and explores Artificial Intelligence use cases in the public sector.

Course Objectives

On completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Lead Strategic Reforms: Design and implement solutions to contemporary PFM challenges by applying the seven pillars of the PEFA 2016 Framework.
• Enhance Budget Credibility: Utilise Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEF) to align multi-year fiscal planning with strategic policy goals.
• Optimise Execution: Strengthen budget execution through modernised cash management, transparent public procurement, and robust internal controls.
• Drive Accountability: Improve PFM oversight by enhancing the roles of internal audit, External Audit agencies, and Public Accounts Committees.
• Integrate ESG Goals: Apply tools for Climate-Resilient and Gender-Responsive PFM to track the impact of resources on environmental and social outcomes.

Key Topics

The Strategic PFM Architecture and PEFA Benchmarking

• Foundations of PFM and its role in sustainable development.
• Deep dive into the PEFA 2016 Framework: The 7 pillars and 31 indicators.
• Benchmarking for results: Identifying system strengths and weaknesses.

Policy-Based Fiscal Strategy and Strategic Budgeting

• Macroeconomic and fiscal forecasting: Building realistic foundations.
• The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF): Linking policy to the budget.
• Transitioning to Programme and Performance-Based Budgeting.

Predictability and Control in Budget Execution

• Modernising cash management and forecasting to prevent arrears.
• Strategic Public Procurement: Value for money and fiduciary integrity.
• Internal controls and the "Three Lines of Defence" in the public sector.

Digital Transformation and Accountability Frameworks

• International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and financial data integrity.
• External Scrutiny: The role of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) and Legislative Audit Committees.
• Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in the public sector.

The New Frontier: Green PFM and Gender-Responsive Budgeting

• Green PFM: Integrating climate change into the budget cycle.
• Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Tracking social equity and inclusive outcomes.
• Action Planning: Drafting a PFM reform roadmap for your institution.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for high-level officials and decision-makers, including:

• Senior executives and directors from Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning.
• Heads of Budget, Accounting, and Treasury departments.
• Senior officials from line ministries (Education, Health, Infrastructure) responsible for financial management.
• Members of Parliament and staff of Public Accounts Committees.
• Senior Internal and External Auditors.