Roundtable: The Importance of Professionalization in PFM, and the Challenges in the CEF Region
Jun 9, 2009
On May 29, 2009 Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF) hosted a Roundtable
on The Importance of Professionalization in PFM, and the Challenges in the
CEF Region. The roundtable was organized in cooperation with the Chartered
Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
Experts from Slovenia and United Kingdom participated at the
roundtable.
The first day of Roundtable was focused on the CIPFA’s new paper "Public
Financial Management and the PFM International Architecture – A Whole
System Approach". The key points made on the first day of the roundtable
were:
The Whole System could be used to help identify PFM
priorities for countries with different capabilities and needs and can
support existing tools and initiatives by providing a holistic
framework.
The Learning and growing element is significant element
in the PFM System. Both CIPFA and CEF highlighted initial and continuing
professional development as important.
Professionalization has a key role in embedding and
developing effective PFM. It involves institutional development and wider
civil service reforms.
The aim of the identification and analysis of the
institutions in the International Architecture is to improve the
effectiveness of support, recognising the huge lack of capacity in many
countries.
Management and soft skills are weak and an important
part of training and development.
The second day started with a press conference of Mr Igor Šoltes, President
of Slovenian Court of Audit, and Ms Caroline Mawhood, President of CIPFA
and Assistant Auditor general at the UK’s Supreme Audit Institution. Both
speakers highlighted importance of the PFM and professionalization in PFM
that can contribute to efficient and effective use of limited public funds
and improve control systems in the public sector.
The presentations on the importance of professionalization and capacity
development in public sector were delivered by Ms Caroline Rickatson,
director CIPFA International, Mr. Gordon Ferrier, Assistant Director CIPFA
International, Ms Julia Attridge, Assistant Director E&T Development,
Mr. Miran Gostiša, Head of Public Internal Financial Control Sector, Budget
Supervision Office of the Republic of Slovenia, and Ms Nevenka Cukon Mavec,
representative of Slovenian Court of Audit.
This roundtable was an attempt to increase the understanding and awareness
of the importance of PFM in number of dimensions including its role in
developing capacity and improving service delivery in the CEF region. The
longer term solutions need to include strengthening and reinventing the
overall international PFM architecture.
The Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF) is a leading regional institution promoting capacity building in public financial management and central banking in South East Europe through training, peer learning, and technical assistance. Established in 2001 by the Slovene Government, the CEF now has ten members (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia) who have a principal role in defining CEF’s objectives and strategies.
