COCA Workshop on: “General Budget & Decentralization” [Archives:1998/21/Business & Economy]

The Central Organization of Control and Audit (COCA) has, in cooperation with the GTZ of Germany, held a special seminar during 12-20 May. Entitled ‘Decentralization in preparing, implementing and monitoring the state’s general budget’, the seminar included the presentation of papers submitted by the COCA, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Local Administration, the Presidency Office, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Civil Service and the Central Bank of Yemen.
Yemen as well as German researchers presented a number of valuable papers that covered such diverse but pertinent subjects as administrative and financial decentralization, budget implementation and control in view of the local authority system to be introduced into Yemen soon.
Working groups were formed by the participants at the seminar to discuss the problems and impediments related to the preparing, implementing and monitoring the general budget. Solutions and suggestions were made in order to address such problems and pave the way for decentralization.
Recommendations
A- Preparing & Implementing the General Budget:
1- The legislative structure of the general administration should be adjusted and modernized to be able to deal with the decentralization process.
2- Training plans and programs should be supported so that the administrative and technical staff will be able to fully comprehend the modern aspects of decentralization.
3- The decentralization process should be accompanied by effective monitoring and control mechanisms.
4- Modern methods should be adopted in the transition to a decentralized system.
5- The legislative, executive and judicial authorities should pay attention to the output of the control and monitoring process.
6- COCA should be involved as a consultative body in the general budget planning.
7- Administrative and financial measures must be simplified when spending funds allocated by the general budget.
8- The civil service structure must be modernized in order to be able to cope with the financial and administrative reform process.
9- The relevant bodies and organs must prepare the general budget in a way compatible with the decentralization process.
10- An accurate system must be adopted to levy, develop and control local resources.
11- The local authority law must be swiftly issued and enacted.
B- Budget Control
1- The outcomes of COCA activities must be revitalized according the constitution and the enacted laws.
2- The independence of COCA branches in various governorates must be consolidated.
3- The internal control and monitoring system must be developed and consolidated.
4- Information and data systems must be developed and automated.
5- Awareness of the importance of monitoring must be raised among the employees of the central and local authorities.

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