Effective Public Financial Management is crucial for a country’s development. It ensures that public funds are allocated and utilised efficiently, transparently, and accountability. In Somalia, where there are significant challenges related to mismanagement, misappropriation, and limited institutional capacity, improving Public Financial Management is essential for economic development, providing basic services to citizens, and rebuilding the country’s infrastructure. The Federal Government of Somalia and its Federal Member states have been working on reforms to improve governance, transparency, and accountability structures, particularly within public financial management.
PREMIS supported the establishment of core Public Financial Management laws, processes, systems and institutions to Federal Member States to raise revenues and assure transparency and accountability in public expenditure. Asal was contracted by ASI to undertake a Baseline Assessment of Public Financial Management and Public Administration in Federal Member States to provide an accurate and nuanced picture of the significant challenges in public financial management and public administration in four FMSs across Somalia. In areas like Jubaland, South-West State, Galmudug, and Hirshabelle, which had been affected by conflict, there was an urgent need to assess and enhance systems. The assessments are crucial for designing interventions that will ensure resources are allocated efficiently, services delivered effectively, and civil service administrations are competent.
Through collaboration with the PREMIS team, Asal in partnership with ADPG developed tailored data collection methodologies using tools like PEFA, TADAT, and MAPS. Drawing on experience in fragile contexts, our team proposed options to strengthen data collection, enhancing accuracy and reliability. The project successfully collected baseline data, providing valuable insights into public financial management and public administration systems and practices across all FMSs. Raw data enabled informed decision-making and the baseline report presented the status of Federal Member States, guiding future reforms.
