Keeping budget promises

How can we ensure country spending towards the SDGs is on track?

September 12, 2023
8:00 am – 9:15 am

Virtual Event

As we reach the half-way mark to the 2030 Sustainable Development goals and prepare for the Global SDG Summit, the world is not where it needs to be to achieve the agreed upon targets. Government budgets serve as a roadmap, guiding spending toward effective delivery of public services and progress on sustainable development. While trillions of dollars are mobilized to reach development goals, national budgets are not being effectively and efficiently spent. Budget credibility is defined as the ability of governments to meet the fiscal targets set out in their annual budgets. Research conducted by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) and civil society partners in 13 countries finds that chronic budget credibility challenges disproportionately impact social sectors and undermine efforts to prioritize spending toward development goals. During the global virtual launch of country case studies, a global synthesis and how-to guide to assess budget credibility challenges in sectors, participants will discuss:

Trends, drivers, and impact of budget deviations in critical sectors including agriculture, health, education, environmental protection and water and sanitation
Approaches and experiences of analyzing and addressing budget credibility challenges in SDG sectors

The event will be held in English, French and Spanish

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Moderators

Claire O'Donnell

Research Associate, International Budget Parnership

Claire O’Donnell works at the International Budget Partnership (IBP) as a Research Associate for the budget credibility initiative, coordinating global research products and learning events. O’Donnell is passionate about using budget advocacy as a tool to address inequity, with a particular interest in the intersection of budgets and gender.

Prior to joining IBP in 2021, O’Donnell worked with Women for Women International, the Kibale Forest Schools Project, Alianza por la Solidaridad and Aid to Artisans. O’Donnell holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University.

Speakers

Srinivas Gurazada

Head of PEFA Secretariat, Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Initiative (PEFA)

Mr. Gurazada worked in the Africa region as well as the Global unit of the World Bank prior to his selection as Head of the PEFA Secretariat. He is the Global Lead for Public Financial Management at the World Bank. He has over 25 years’ experience in Public Financial Management and Public Administration. Prior to joining the World Bank, he worked as Accountant General in the Government of India and Advisor to the Minister in the Sultanate of Oman. Mr. Gurazada works on governance issues, ranging from government budget reforms, public financial management, domestic resource mobilization, public sector financial reporting (IPSAS), governance in sectors (specifically health & education), to anti-corruption policies, control and oversight (internal audit, Supreme Auditing Institutions) and the use of information technology for modernizing the public sector.

Godson Korbla Aloryito

Program Officer, Ghana, International Budget Parnership

Godson Aloryito joined IBP in 2021 as the Budget Credibility Program Officer for Ghana. He has rich experience in Public Finance Analysis and Advocacy in Fiscal Transparency and Accountability. Prior to joining IBP, he worked as Resident Economist and Coordinator of the Economic Governance Platform, a CSOs’ coalition which influenced the design of Ghana’s recent stabilization program with the IMF by securing social protection programs and mainstreamed CSOs’ monitoring of their implementation as well as key structural fiscal reforms.

Godson recently, initiated and facilitated structured grassroot CSOs dialogue and advocacy with donor agencies such as the World Bank to promote social inclusion and citizens’ feedback on donor-funded projects in Ghana. He has consulted for the Institute of Development Studies, the World Bank and supported the commencement of SPARK in Ghana as a consultant.

Godson holds a B.A. and MPhil degrees in Economics from the University of Ghana and is currently a PhD candidate in Finance at the University of Ghana.

Lisa Higginson

Budget Advocacy Coordinator, Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM), South Africa

Lisa is the Budget Advocacy Coordinator at the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) at Rhodes University, where she is currently engaged in research and advocacy for budget transparency, open government and social accountability monitoring.

She is also Deputy Coordinator of Imali Yethu civil society coalition for open budgets, and a member of the Steering Committee for the Budget Justice Coalition.

Sokhna Assiatou Diop

Program Officer, Senegal, International Budget Parnership

Assiatou Diop works at International Budget Partnership (IBP) as the Program officer for the budget credibility initiative in Senegal. Focusing on social sectors with high impact on vulnerable groups, Assiatou is dedicated to analyzing budget constraints and financing issues in the health and sanitation sectors. Leading on IBP’s efforts to unpack budget implementation challenges in Senegal’s Sanitation sector, Assiatou advocates for more efficient and inclusive public policies in human capital related sectors.

Prior to joining IBP in 2021, Assiatou worked at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), supporting the funding process of university-based research from the Federal Government.

Assiatou holds a Masters in Public and International Affairs from Ottawa University, and a Bachelors in Economics and Political Sc. from Montreal University.

Natán Spollansky

Economist, Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia (ACIJ)

Natán Spollansky is a member of ACIJ’s Tax Justice program and an economic advisor within the Budget and Finance Commission of the Honorable Chamber of Deputies of the Nation.

He has a degree in Economics and is a candidate for a Master’s in Public Administration from the National University of Córdoba (UNC).

Sally Torbert

Policy Manager, International Budget Parnership

Sally Torbert joined the International Budget Partnership in August 2017 and is based in Tbilisi, Georgia. As IBP’s Policy Manager, she leads IBP’s Budget Credibility and Debt Accountability initiatives in collaboration with IBP’s country teams and civil society partners.

Prior to joining IBP, Sally worked as a public sector and governance specialist with expertise in public financial management, service delivery, social accountability, and capacity building. She has previously held positions with the World Bank, DAI, UNCDF, and UNDP, supporting public finance and governance reforms in Afghanistan, Lao PDR, Nepal, Mozambique, and Timor-Leste. She holds a BA from Princeton University and a Masters from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.