05 November 2020

BCOP Videoconference of the PPWBG On Conducting Rapid Spending Reviews to Identify Measures for Budget Balancing

Videoconference

BCOP’s Program and Performance Budgeting Working Group (PPBWG) focuses on design and implementation of program and performance budgeting and spending reviews with the aim of improving spending effectiveness. Reforms in this area have been continuously reported as priority areas by most of BCOP members. The group’s membership includes 17 of 21 BCOP member countries.

After completing of a comprehensive knowledge product in mid-2020 Performance Budgeting and Spending Reviews: Current Practices, Challenges, and Recommendations, which covered the broad topic of this working group, the PPBWG decided to focus on developing narrower knowledge products on targeted subtopics starting in FY21.

This VC workshop took place to work on the PPBWG’s targeted knowledge product on conducting rapid spending reviews to identify measures for budget balancing. Given the current global budgetary pressures stemming from both reduced revenues and increased certain expenditure needs resulting from COVID-19 pandemic, most governments globally need to define budget balancing measures on expenditure side.  The purpose of this knowledge product is to provide PEMPAL countries with practical advice on options to consider in terms of process and methodology for rapid spending reviews. In this workshop, the first draft of the knowledge product was presented, followed by comments of the PPBWG members and the World Bank experts. Based on received feedback, the knowledge product will be finalized after the workshop.