Inception period for support for strenghtened capacity for budgeting Stöd till inledande insats för ökad kapacitet för statlig budgetering Inception Project to Mali to Craft a budget strengthening initiative (BSI) that will provide policy and implementation assistance in the area of public finance and financial mangement to the government of Mali Insatsen avser ett startprojekt under en övergångsperiod på ca. ett år till stöd för Malis regering för att utarbeta ett längre och mer ingående program för budgetförstärkning (Budget Strengthening Initiative, BSI) via organisationen Overseas Development Institute (ODI). ODI kommer bidra med policystöd och stöd för genomförande till Malis regering inom området offentlig finansiering och ekonomisk förvaltning. Startprojektet kommer också att verka för att skapa ett robust och effektivt samarbete med nyckelaktörer inom regeringen baserat på ömsesidigt förtroende och en gemensam förståelse av de viktigaste frågorna. Detta kommer att uppnås genom att ODI ger nära och praktisk inriktat stöd till de relevanta centrala offentliga institutionerna i Mali redan från start avseende dessa frågor. Sidas budget uppgår till 2,6 MSEK för denna insats. The contribution regards an inception project to Mali to craft a Budget Strengthening Initiative (BSI) programme that will provide policy and implementation assistance in the area of public finance and financial management to the Government of Mali through the organisation Overseas Development Institute (ODI).The inception project will also serve to establish a robust and effective working relationship with key stakeholders within the Government of Mali based on mutual trust and a common understanding of the critical issues. This will be achieved by providing hands-on support on pressing issues to key government institutions from the start. Sida´s total budget is 2.6 MSEK and was disbursed early 2019.
The intermediate outcome of this engagement would be a more effective and efficient implementation of public finance and financial management reforms such as: better informed budget choices and processes, more effective programme expenditures, improved vertical and horizontal coordination, greater accountability and transparency. Its ultimate outcome would be improved ownership and fiscal and institutional capacity to deliver core services to the population and, consequently, increase the public’s confidence in its institutions.
The inception project is aimed at further clarifying the focus of, operationalizing and demonstrating demand for, BSI support. Over the course of the inception project, the list of themes and issues will be focused, and may significantly change, based on government demand. The inception project will also serve to establish a robust and effective working relationship with key stakeholders within the GoM based on mutual trust and a common understanding of the critical issues. This will be achieved by providing hands-on support on pressing issues to key government institutions from the start. The inception project will thus constitute the basis for articulating a longer-term (3 to 5 years) support programme that will be proposed to Sida for funding in the second half of 2019. Care will be taken to ensure that any support is complementary and well co-ordinated with other donor agencies and partners.