By Richard Johnstone | 13 January 2014
CIPFA is to help developing countries across the globe improve their public financial management after it was appointed to the UK Department for International Development’s programme to boost national financial and economic expertise.
The institute has been included in DFID’s Investment Facility for Utilising Specialist Expertise programme, which provides 29 countries with assistance in creating the infrastructure and environment needed for economic growth.
CIPFA and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales have been selected as the network’s first accountancy bodies.
Upon request from individual countries like Yemen or Somalia, CIPFA staff will be deployed on short-term assignments to train officials and assist in the development and implementation of policies to improve PFM, financial accountability and transparency.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said both governments and businesses needed access to good quality people and standards to create the right environment for investment.
‘Our accountancy profession is world class, and these ground-breaking partnerships will allow countries in the developing world to benefit from the very best expertise Britain has to offer,’ she added.
CIPFA currently works to improve financial management in eight DFID focus countries, including Bangladesh, Tajikistan and Nigeria.
CIPFA chief executive Rob Whiteman said: ‘Good public financial management is the foundation of financial stability and economic growth no matter which country you live in. Getting this right globally will have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of individuals and on the business environment across the world.
‘This is why CIPFA is so excited to be joining the IFUSE network and to be lending its experience and expertise to this truly transformative DFID initiative.’
IFUSE, which was established in 2012, already works with 14 UK government departments and public bodies to deliver short-term, targeted expertise on issues identified by in-country partners.
Past examples have included experts from the Office of Fair Trading training officials at the Competition Commission of Pakistan on issues from public procurement to mergers, and Revenue & Customs staff supporting officials at the Tanzanian Revenue Authority to make it easier for citizens and businesses to pay their taxes.
The full list of countries included in the IFUSE programme is: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
