Africa: Africa Urged to Strengthen Budget Oversight
[New Era] African parliaments have been urged to strengthen their oversight of public finances through well-resourced and independent Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs) as the continent confronts rising debt vulnerabilities, illicit financial flows, procurement inefficiencies and increasing demands for public services.
African parliaments have been called upon to bolster their budget oversight mechanisms to tackle growing fiscal vulnerabilities and demands for public services, according to the Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. Addressing the 9th Annual Conference of the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBOs) in Swakopmund, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila emphasized the need for well-funded and independent Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs) to provide legislators with independent analysis, fiscal forecasting, and technical advice.
She highlighted that African economies face a complex fiscal environment characterized by global economic uncertainty, climate change concerns, and the sustainability of sovereign debt. While acknowledging that public debt can fuel economic growth, she cautioned against unchecked borrowing that could jeopardize economic stability and future generations' welfare.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stressed that effective oversight of public debt and borrowing is a democratic duty and a moral responsibility, requiring more than mere political will. She called for PBOs and Independent Fiscal Institutions to empower parliaments in scrutinizing borrowing decisions, economic policy changes, and budget allocations to ensure they serve citizens' interests.
The Speaker also advocated for increased citizen participation in budget processes to protect and enhance citizens' livelihoods. Namibia is currently at an early stage in establishing its own PBO, but the government is committed to doing so, relying on support from sister parliaments and the AN-PBO network. The conference served as a platform for solidarity, peer learning, and South-South technical cooperation among African parliamentary institutions.
UNICEF Namibia, participating in the conference, urged policymakers to ensure that public resources translate into tangible improvements in children's lives, particularly those in poverty, remote communities, and vulnerable households.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
