Public Expenditure and Financial Initiative (PEFA)

In partnership with AFD and the WB, this program targets countries in Africa, with a conducive decentralization and governance context, to introduce a two phased approach for improving public financial management in identified cities:

• Phase I: Undertake a Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessment and support in developing an action plan for reform and capacity building activities to improve the city’s public financial management. The PEFA assessments will use the standardized methodology approved by the PEFA Secretariat.
• Phase II: Provide follow-on technical assistance to selected cities with the detailed design and implementation of prioritized reforms under the action plan.

During FY 2015, Phase I was launched in the following 5 cities: Agadir & Casablanca (Morocco), Sfax (Tunisia), Beira (Mozambique), and Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville). The design and implementation of a post-PEFA assessment action plan was launched for the city of Antananarivo (Madagascar). It should be noted that the WBG governance team, with support from SECO, has initiated a sub-national local government assessment using the PEFA methodology in 6-8 cities in Tunisia and other cities in Jordan, Mozambique and Madagascar have also requested similar support. Based upon findings from this first phase, it is planned that during FY16 and FY17, two to three of these cities will be prioritized for implementation of the follow-on Phase II.