AfDB, World Bank Train Experts on PEFA to Boost Public Finance in East Africa

The African Development Bank Group’s Fiduciary and Inspection Department, in partnership with the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Secretariat of the World Bank Group, has concluded a high-level training programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of public financial management (PFM) experts in Eastern Africa.

The flagship training, held from 16–18 September 2025 in Nairobi, brought together over 60 participants from the Bank, Eastern African governments, the World Bank, and partner institutions. The initiative focused on the PEFA framework, a globally recognized diagnostic tool used to assess the performance and resilience of PFM systems.

Why Public Financial Management Matters

Public financial management (PFM) refers to how governments plan, collect, allocate, spend, and account for public funds to deliver essential services, stimulate inclusive growth, and ensure transparency and accountability. Effective PFM is regarded as the bedrock of good governance, helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and national development strategies.

The PEFA framework provides policymakers with an evidence-based assessment of their financial systems’ strengths and weaknesses, helping to shape targeted reforms, enhance accountability, and optimize the use of public resources.

Training Content and Focus

The training provided hands-on guidance on how to:

• Integrate climate and gender considerations into budget planning and policy formulation.

• Strengthen expenditure monitoring to ensure public resources are used equitably.

• Apply diagnostic assessments effectively, ensuring reforms are based on the current state of systems, not aspirational goals.

• Build regional cooperation and peer-to-peer learning among PFM practitioners.

Participants worked through case studies, exchanged experiences, and explored strategies to embed PEFA insights into national planning and reform agendas.

High-Level Perspectives

Opening the event on behalf of Alex Mubiru, AfDB’s Director General for East Africa, Bubacarr Sankareh, Lead Operations Advisor, underlined PFM’s pivotal role:

“Public financial management is a cornerstone of development, essential for achieving Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and the Bank’s vision for the continent’s future.”

Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the National Treasury, Chris Kiptoo, stressed that strong PFM is fundamental to citizen trust:

“Demands for good governance, accountability and transparency are enormous. Having staff trained in PEFA ensures public funds are managed properly, and that all stakeholders deliver value for money in the use of resources.”

Other senior officials emphasized the need for evidence-driven reforms and collaborative approaches. Legesse Eshetu, AfDB’s Financial Management Division Manager for East Southern regions and Nigeria, highlighted the central role of diagnostic tools in shaping effective interventions.

Srinivas Gurazada, Head of the PEFA Secretariat, added:

“The strength of PEFA lies not only in its robustness as a framework but also in the partnerships that underpin its application.”

Lessons and Reflections

Participants described the training as eye-opening and practical, particularly in terms of collaboration and cross-country learning.

• Margaret Kamau, AfDB’s Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer, noted:

  “PEFA is a diagnostic tool—not the medicine. It must be applied based on the current realities of the system.”

• Linet Miriti, AfDB Chief Gender Officer, emphasized the relevance of the course for her work:

  “If I had completed this training earlier, my work would have been more focused, efficient, and rigorous.”

• Yusuf Karo of Kenya’s National Treasury called for more frequent sessions:

  “When you get PFM right, you get everything right. We should hold these trainings every quarter.”

Looking Ahead

The training concluded with a collective commitment to leverage the PEFA framework as a catalyst for reform. By equipping practitioners with the tools and insights needed to design and implement evidence-based reforms, the AfDB and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to helping African nations manage public finances transparently, equitably, and effectively.

As governments face mounting demands for accountability, fiscal efficiency, and sustainable growth, initiatives like this represent a crucial step toward ensuring that Africa’s public resources are mobilized and managed in the service of its people.