The 15th Steering Session of the Public Finance Management Dialogue Platform was held with the aim of improving public finance management in Cameroon. Abdoulaye Yaouba, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance, emphasized the need for strong collaboration among stakeholders, including international partners. The session focused on validating future reforms and ensuring more transparent and efficient management of public resources.
In 2024, Cameroon will transition to a new reform strategy, building on the successes of the Public Governance and Reform of Public Finance (PGRGFP). The collaboration among stakeholders and their adherence to international public finance principles were highlighted. While significant reforms have been initiated, including the establishment of a Macroeconomic Framework Committee and improvements in budget processes, challenges remain in budgetary discipline and quality spending.
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A diagnostic assessment using the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) methodology revealed improvements in 17 indicators but also highlighted weaknesses in 17 areas. The findings will be integrated into the new Strategic Public Finance Management Reform Plan (PSRGFP) for 2024-2027, which will include innovative measures and clearly defined performance indicators.
The 15th session of the Steering Committee for the Public Finance Dialogue Platform (COPIL/PDFP) primarily sought validation of the PSRGFP for 2024-2027. Government representatives and technical and financial partners (PTF) were tasked with ensuring its execution, developing the status of outstanding tasks from the PGRGFP, and raising awareness among COPIL/PDFP commissioners about the philosophy and expectations of the upcoming reforms from 2024 to 2027. The session also aimed to validate the reform tasks to be undertaken, along with their execution and monitoring modalities.
The expected results included a session report, an executable PSRGFP 2024-2027 plan, a summary report on the outstanding tasks of the PGRGFP, and key achievements and perspectives for future actions.
Minister Yaouba highlighted successes from the previous plan, including improved tax revenue and enhanced budget transparency. However, he acknowledged that additional work is needed in public finance management. He emphasized the importance of integrating climate change considerations into public finance management to address the pressing challenges faced by Cameroon due to environmental changes.
Minister Yaouba concluded by urging collaboration among stakeholders, including international partners and civil society, to ensure the success of the reform initiatives. He officially opened the fifteenth session of the Public Finance Dialogue Platform, encouraging all participants to contribute to the reform efforts.
Che Tembuck
