SADCOPAC EMPOWERING PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEES

Transcription

1 SADCOPAC EMPOWERING PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEES Presented by SADCOPAC Chairpersn Hn. Siph Makama AWEPA Reginal Seminar n Enhancing SADC Parliamentary Participatin in Develpment Effectiveness 2-4 December 2013 in Jhannesburg, Suth Africa

2 Presentatin Outline Intrductin Visin and Missin f SADCOPAC Objectives f SADCOPAC SADCOPAC Funding Base Perfrmance & Achievements SADCOPAC Gd Practice Bklet SADCOPAC Strategic Cllabratin Challenges Cnclusin 2

3 Intrductin The purpse f this presentatin is t prvide delegates with an verview f SADCOPAC s achievements in prmting accuntability, gd gvernance and transparency in SADC cuntries as well as in African cntinent as a whle. The Suthern Africa Develpment Cmmunity Organizatin f Public Accunts Cmmittees (SADCOPAC) is an assciatin f the Pubic Accunts Cmmittees frm SADC member states. It was launched in Octber

4 VISION SADCOPC shall strive t distinguish itself as an rganizatin empwering the Members f each SADC Member State t effectively carry ut their functins as versight cmmittee ver public sectr finances, as well as prmting gd gvernance MISSION Visin and missin SADCOPAC is an autnmus and independent assciatin f Public Accunts Cmmittees frm SADC states established t prmte mutual supprt; fster the exchange f ideas, knwledge, and experiences; act as a recgnized vice f Public Accunts Cmmittees within SADC cmmunity; and prmte accuntability, gd gvernance and transparency in the SADC states. 4

5 SADCOPAC Objectives The aims and bjectives f SADCOPAC, as set ut in its Cnstitutin, are as fllws:- Wrk with gvernments and ther relevant rle players in meeting the peple s expectatins f sund and accuntable gvernance; Build capacity and expertise amng SADCOPAC members t diligently and efficiently carry ut their versight functins and duties; Imprve the effectiveness f Public Accunts Cmmittees r similar cmmittees in the SADC regin; Share best practices and innvatin, and, where apprpriate and pssible, harmnise and standardize the wrk f Public Accunts Cmmittees in the SADC regin; Prmte gd gvernance; 5

6 SADCOPAC Objectives Cnduct research and intrduce new best practices and innvatins t imprve and enhance the effectiveness f Public Accunts Cmmittees in the SADC regin; Cmmunicate and build relatinships with individuals and rganizatins with relevant expertise (natinally and internatinally); Empwer members t disseminate infrmatin n the wrk and activities f Public Accunts Cmmittees amng elected representatives, the media and general public, as well as versight r similar cmmittees; Liaise with Suthern African Develpment Organizatin f Supreme Audit Institutins (SADCOSAI) n areas f mutual cncern; and Strengthen relatinships with apprpriate SADC structures. 6

7 SADCOPAC Funding Base SADCOPAC peratins depend n membership fees that are paid by its member states. Member states take turns in hsting annual cnferences which puts mre strain n their wn resurces. Nt all members states are in a psitin t hst the annual cnference as such thse that can affrd must be willing t d it mre than nce. GIZ and Wrld Bank Institute have been supprting SADCOPAC fr a perid f 4 years ( ). Supprt als cmes frm ffices f Auditrs -General (AGs) f SADC member states. SADCOPAC is audited by AGs ffices frm member states n rtatinal basis, the new SADCOPAC auditr is AG f Zambia. 7

8 Perfrmance & Achievements The Birth f African Organisatin f Public Accunts Cmmittees (AFROPAC) which was preceded by the birth f EAAPAC and WAAPAC. The SADCOPAC 10 Year Anniversary PACs in SADC member states spearheaded imprvements in public financial management. Key factrs cntributing t PACs effectiveness in the SADC regin include: Symbitic wrking relatinship between the Auditrs-General and PACs- This relatinship has cntributed t the successful accmplishment f PACs activities; Auditrs-General have been key stakehlders and supprters f PACs in their day t day activities. 8

9 Perfrmance & Achievements Effective Secretariat and gd internal peratins: PACs supprt staff have attended intensive training prgrammes and as a result the quality f their wrk and the utput derived frm it has als imprved. Cmmitment f members t the tasks f PAC: There is an increased enthusiasm amng the PAC members t ensure that PACs activities are cmpleted n time. The regin is increasingly experiencing mre serius discussins f audit reprts by PACs. At the same time, nearly all PACs are deliberating n Perfrmance Audit Reprts. Nn-partisan culture: Mst f PACs understand the cncept f a nn-partisan. This leads t attaining unanimus decisin-making in their deliberatins. Effective meetings: The Chairpersn and members prepare in advance fr PAC meetings and the chairpersns facilitate meetings in a prfessinal way. 9

10 Perfrmance & Achievements Timely cmpletin: Timely cmpletin f audit reviews and submissin f Cmmittee reprts t the Huse and Regular publicatin f PAC reprts. Calling upn the executive t accunt fr public sectr spending withut fear r favur: Hearings have been cnducted with an intentin f imprvement. The hearings are nt meant t be a witch-hunt r punish anybdy unnecessarily. Cntinuity f membership: SADCOPAC very successfully lbbied t ensure that there is cntinuity f PAC membership. Previusly, turnver was very high because Speakers were making frequent reshuffles in the prtfli cmmittees. Cmmittee preparatins prir t hearings: Well prepared members with effective questining skills, led by cmpetent and knwledgeable chairpersns make it pssible fr PACs t be bjective and fcused. 10

11 SADCOPAC Gd Practice Guide fr PACs PACs d nt nly demnstrate differing practices in the manner in which they discharge their versight functin; they als face varying challenges in ding s. A Gd Practice Guide was develped as a minimum standard f practice amngst PACs in SADC. Fllwing the intrductin f the Gd Practice Guide in 2009, SADCOPAC has nted tremendus imprvements in the perfrmance f PACs frm Member states. Many member states were able t request changes in their peratins in line with the prescriptins f the Gd Practice Guide 11

12 SADCOPAC Gd Practice Guide fr PACs At every cnference, member states are expected t reprt prgress in ensuring cmpliance with the prescriptins f the Gd Practice Guide Where challenges are experienced, SADCOPAC assists them in dealing with the challenges SADCOPAC rganizes varius in-cuntry trainings, seminars and wrkshps fr PAC members and their supprt staff frm time t time. 12

13 SADCOPAC Strategic Cllabratin SADCOPAC has built strng wrking relatinships with varius internatinal rganisatins and institutins in extending its netwrk. African Organisatin f Supreme Audit institutins fr English Speaking cuntries in Africa (AFROSAI-E), East Africa Assciatin f Public Accunts Cmmittee (EAAPAC), West Africa Assciatin f Public Accunts Cmmittee (WAAPAC), Cmmnwealth Parliamentary Assciatin (CPA), Pan-African Parliament (PAP), SADC Parliamentary Frum (PF), SADC Accuntant General Frum, Speakers Frums and ther strategic develpment partners like GIZ, and Wrld Bank Institute. Thrugh these netwrks, SADCOPAC managed t share experience with a much wider audience and at the same time benefited n the technical and financial supprt frm them. 13

14 SADCOPAC Challenges Despite the fact that SADCOPAC has achieved a lt in the past ten years f its existence, there are still sme challenges which prvide an pprtunity fr further imprvements in the near future. Sme f these challenges include: Nt all SADC states have cnfirmed their membership: SADC has 15 member states but nly 12 have cnfirmed their membership t the SADCOPAC. The Demcratic Republic f Cng (DRC), Mauritius and Madagascar are yet t cnfirm their membership. Lack f sustainable finances t accmplish SADCOPAC prjects and activities: Fr the last ten years, SADCOPAC embarked n a number f initiatives meant t fster dialgue, netwrking and experience sharing amng PACs in the SADC regin. These 14 initiatives include: training, dialgue, and research.

15 SADCOPAC Challenges Lack f crdinated versight: There are n clear mechanisms in the SADC parliaments fr facilitating crdinated versight by PACs and ther versight cmmittees. Lack f mnitring and evaluatin mechanisms by sme PACs: PACs in the SADC regin have nt institutinalised Mnitring and Evaluatin f their wrk. It has been a challenge t measure the impact f their wrk since there is n well-defined fllw up mechanism. Time cmmitment by PACs: PAC wrk can be demanding and requires greater time cmmitments frm its members than ther parliamentary cmmittees. Cntinuity: Sme PACs experience frequent turnver f members due t redeplyment. In sme cases, PACs are recnstituted n an annual basis. These have very negative effects n the 15 cntinuity and capacity f PACs.

16 SADCOPAC Challenges Lack f mnitring and evaluatin mechanisms by sme PACs: PACs in the SADC regin have nt institutinalised Mnitring and Evaluatin f their wrk. It has been a challenge t measure the impact f their wrk since there are n welldefined fllw-up mechanisms. Limited r lack f technical expertise: PACs d nt always have the required technical expertise in their supprt staff, which negatively affects their effectiveness. Limitatins n PAC pwers: PAC s recmmendatins are nt binding n the Executive. There is nthing that frces the Executive t accept and act n PAC s recmmendatins. Our SADC parliaments need t create mechanism Limited resurces: Majrity f PACs in SADC perate with limited budgets and supprt staff wh have limited skills. 16

17 SADCOPAC Challenges Prgramming challenges: Nt enugh time is allcated t PAC wrk due t ther pririties frm Parliaments. Legislative envirnment and plitical supprt: In sme cuntries, PACs d nt have sufficient supprt frm the Parliament r Speaker and in sme cuntries there are statutry prvisins that cnstrain the wrk f the versight cmmittees. Lack f planning tls: Lack f Parliamentary calendar t enable planning f the Cmmittee s activities. Backlg f audit reprts: Sme Cmmittees have t deal with ld and lng utstanding AG reprts. Attendance f meetings: Unsatisfactry attendance f Cmmittee meetings by members. 17

18 Cnclusin SADCOPAC is still in need mre Strategic Partners t facilitate implementatin f its strategic bjectives as well as vercming faced challenges. We eagerly await t mre cperatin with AWEPA as well as ther partners. 18

19 Thank yu 19