| Grant Profile: |
| Project Title: |
Enhancing Governance and Economic Management Systems (EGEMAS II) |
| PCF/LICUS/SPF: |
LICUS |
Status: |
Open |
| File Number: |
75
| Region: |
AFR |
| Sector: |
Multisector |
Country: |
Central African Republic |
| FY approved: |
2008 |
Grant Theme : |
Public sector governance |
| Keyword(s): |
Administrative and civil service reform;Mining;Public expenditure, financial management and procurement |
Approved Amount: |
$2,000,000.00 |
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Grant Recipient:
CTP/PAS-Prime Minister’s Office |
Grant Purpose:
The goal of the project is to provide technical assistance needed to:
(1) Deepen reforms in public finance management and in public administration;
(2) Enhance governance and country business environment.
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Grant Activities:
Component I: TA to deepen reforms in public finance management and in public administration
(1) To provide technical assistance to enhance revenue collection
This component aims to build technical capacity in the tax department and upgrade the management of the taxpayers register. The component will fund two international experts. The first one will provide training to staff working in the tax department on issues pertaining to improving tax collection. The second consultant will provide needed expertise in order to have the management of the taxpayers register under control. The work will build on the results of the survey of formal firms to be carried out very soon with UNDP funding; it will also build on the efforts under way to establish an interface between the SYDONIA and the SYSTEMIF, two computer software programs used in the information management systems respectively in the Customs and Tax departments.
(2) To provide technical assistance to improve budget preparation, execution and reporting
The objective of this component is to provide sustained technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance and the Court of Accounts in order to enhance the management of public expenditures, as well as the budget execution reporting. The planned TA will directly support the budget and treasury departments, the Court of Accounts, and the CTP/PAS:
(i) Budget department: An International expert will be recruited and will train DGB (Direction Générale du budget) staff (about 10 persons) so that they can perform their duties effectively, on a timely fashion and in accordance with their assignments. The expert will be responsible for the following tasks:
- to deliver training on the preparation of budget execution reports using the new budget nomenclature
- to design and deliver a customized training program that will provide DGB staff with the basic and advanced knowledge for preparing the administrative account using the new budget nomenclature.
(ii) Treasury department: An international expert will provide technical assistance
- to the staff working in the audit unit to ensure the timely preparation of treasury balances and the production of central Government accounts
- to GREBUC in order to finalize the new chart of accounts, and provide needed support in the timely preparation of budget execution reports. Furthermore, the international expert will
- design and deliver a training of trainers program for 5 DGTCP staff on the use of the new chart of accounts and preparation of central Government accounts
- deliver training for staff on the preparation of local government accounts for Bangui. Trained DGTCP staff will then train other staff on the use of the new chart of accounts and central Government accounts.
(iii) Court of Accounts: The international expert will select a Court of Accounts in a francophone African country and in cooperation with this institution, will develop training modules on public accounting and the examination of government and administrative accounts and the production of an execution Law. The modules will include, but will not be limited to:
- training on public accounting, including on the new chart of accounts and new budget nomenclatures
- examination of Government and administrative accounts with the aim of identifying errors in financial statements and procedural manuals
- procedural tools to investigate complex fraud cases
- training on usual cases of public finance management
- office equipments (computer, photocopiers, etc).
(iv) CTP/PAS: This Government Unit has been responsible of following up and supervising implementation of financial programs with the IMF and the Bank, and will take up the supervision of the execution of this grant. Although this unit has already benefited some support from a previous World Bank grant, for the sake of sustainability, this grant will provide more support to the CTP/PAS in terms of training and equipment, so that it can perform satisfactorily in implementing economic and financial reforms and in particular in managing the grant resources.
(3) To pursue and complete the reform of public administration management
The component objective is to support (i) the preparation of a new organic framework for civil service based on the organizational audits which is consistent with PRSP objectives, and (ii) the adoption of new rules and regulations for the civil servants, with compensation and performance assessment systems.
Component 2: Technical Assistance to Enhance Governance and Country Business Environment
(1) To reform and modernize the oil and energy sector
This component will provide resources to fund the technical assistance needed to carry out the reforms within the Government, building on earlier World Bank support that helped settle a dispute between the Government and Total, the only private firm operating in the oil sector. The grant will fund the recruitment of a series of international experts that will support in the carrying out of the following tasks:
(i) Strengthening of institutions involved in the management of the oil and energy sector, and primarily the adequate support to the Oil Regulatory Agency, to ensure adequate market monitoring, proper regulation and enforcement of pertinent rules regarding petroleum products specifications and handling, and to secure the much needed tax revenue flows for the Government.
(ii) Revision and completion of the pricing structure in the oil sector, to reach a viable consensus between the operators and the Government on its identified components, including costs, taxes and duties and marketers’ margins.
(iii) Revision of the sector legislation, to reinforce policy rules and compliance regarding supply and market operational security, and to reflect the proposed amendments in the new Law opening the market to new entrants.
(2) To deepen reforms in the mining sector
The objective of this component is to recruit experts that will help to design standard investment agreements in the mining sector and to revise the mining code. The grant will fund:
(i) Foreign expertise that will carry out both the drafting of the standard mining agreement and that will revise the mining code approved in 2004;
(ii) Local workshops and training to ensure ownership of these refroms.
Expected outcomes for this component are a standard mining agreement designed on the basis of international standards and a revised Mining Code.
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