NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 16 – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has urged African governments to strengthen public financial management (PFM) systems, warning that weak fiscal controls risk undermining growth and development goals.
Opening a training session on PFM in Nairobi, AfDB officials said stronger budgeting, procurement, accounting, and reporting systems were essential to ensure resources are used transparently and efficiently.
Legesse Eshetu Yimer, AfDB’s Division Manager for Financial Management, noted that the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework has become central to assessing risks and guiding reforms. “Our responsibility is to ensure that resources entrusted to us are used for their intended purposes, with integrity and transparency,” he said.
Alex Mubiru, Director General of the Bank’s East Africa regional office, stressed that fiscal discipline was a cornerstone of development. “Without sound financial systems, the aspirations of Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and Africa’s vision for sovereignty and resilience risk being undermined,” he said.
The Nairobi training, organized in partnership with the PEFA Secretariat, has drawn officials from finance ministries, development partners, and experts across the continent to review country systems and identify priority reforms.
