Wednesday, 16 August 2017 – The two-day second annual conference of the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO), hosted by the South African Parliamentary Budget Office.
Highlights of the conference this morning include:
- 9.20 to 9.50: Keynote address by National Assembly Speaker Ms Baleka Mbete – Parliament fiscal oversight – African Development Agenda
- 9.50 to 10.10: Group photo session with Speaker of the National Assembly and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces
Click here to view the full conference programme.
Delegates expected to attend come from countries in Africa and across the world and from among Members of Parliament, the Provincial Legislatures and Institutions Supporting Democracy. The conference theme is: “The role of Parliamentary Budget Offices in African Parliaments’ fiscal oversight – contribution to the African development agenda.” The inaugural AN-PBO conference was held in August 2016.
Close monitoring of government spending and revenue collection is key to Parliament fulfilling its constitutional mandate of maintaining oversight over executive. The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) of the South African Parliament, in existence since 2013, is a means to enhancing this oversight. It provides independent, objective and professional research, advice and analysis to Parliament’s four Standing and Select Committees on Finance and Appropriations and to other Committees of Parliament on specific issues. For example, it has provided macroeconomic updates on the budget in advance of the Budget Speech, a report and analysis on the sustainability of the current social grant system, a report and analysis of Eskom’s financial position and energy choices for new generation and a report on university funding and fees. The Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act of 2009, made establishment of the PBO possible and also established Parliament’s Standing and Select Committees on Finance and Standing and Select Committees on Appropriations. The Act, with its origins in the Constitution’s provision that: “An Act of Parliament must provide for a procedure to amend money Bills before Parliament”, has empowered Parliament to make adjustments to the budget as a whole, as well as to the budgets of specific national government departments and entities. Before this, Parliament could either approve or reject the Budget, but not make adjustments to it.
Other countries with PBOs include Kenya, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, South Korea and Mexico.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo 082 370 6930
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